Saturday, October 23, 2004

TOO much power and too much nous.

Before this European Challenge Cup tie, you'd have thought that statement would have been reserved solely for the French at Sixways.

Ultimately, the former Heineken Cup winners were fortunate to get away with a 14-point deficit, such was Worcester's dominance up front.

Three of the Warriors' tries came from drives but, to their credit in atrocious weather conditions, Worcester explored the possibility of an expansive game early on. Eventually, however, as the rain lashed Sixways, the plan of attack was set.

Down 6-0 early on, courtesy of Sebastien Laloo's pin-point penalties, Worcester ground an under strength Brive side down and their discipline suffered.

James Brown's three-pointer had given Worcester a platform on 22 minutes before, soon after, the visiting hooker Jawad Djoudi found himself in the sin-bin. It was his absence which proved to be the turning point of the half.

Ben Hinshelwood found touch with the resultant penalty and, following a catch and drive move, prop Chris Horsman was driven over with the minimum of fuss.

There was an action replay effort, six minutes before the break, after another Laloo penalty, and this time it was Steve Sparks who took the plaudits following an identical catch and drive move. This time Brown added the conversion and the Warriors went into the break buoyed by a 15-9 lead.

Four minutes into the second-half and Brown was instrumental in Worcester's third try. His crossfield kick was patted about playfully by Hinshelwood and Drew Hickey before Dale Rasmussen was put in for a converted try which lit up a sodden Sixways.

Laloo kept Brive's score ticking over with another penalty but, after replacement Emmanuel Amapakabo was yellow carded, a drive on the hour saw skipper Pat Sanderson peel off for the fourth try of the afternoon.

Brown added the extra points but, despite their dominance, Worcester failed to bag another score and Sanderson's late yellow card, before Laloo's fifth penalty, ended hopes of a 20-point cushion.

The suspicion is that, against a full strength Brive on home soil, Worcester will be tested to the limit. Whatever the result, though, you cannot help but think that the experience will stand them in good stead for their bread and butter campaign.

Worcester: Delport 7; Gollings 6, Rasmussen 7, Lombard 6, Hinshelwood 6; Brown 7, Stuart-Smith 6; Sparks 6, Daly 7, Horsman 8, Collier 7, Murphy 7, Gabey 6, Sanderson 6, Hickey 7. Replacements: Windo 6 (Sparks 51), Fortey, Lyman (Horsman 71), Trueman 6 (Lombard 65), Vaili (Gabey 51), Powell, O'Leary 6 (Rasmussen 65).

Man of the match: Chris Horsman --strong display by the prop in dreadful conditions.