THE guys have been working really hard this season and we are now starting to see the benefits.

The fitness coach Phil Rich-ards has done a really good job with the lads. We've got through a lot in the last few weeks and we've come through it.

Fitness levels are good and that's a nice feeling at this stage of the season.

We did a lot of work on conditioning before the Montpellier game. There are times in the season when you have got to step it up and that was one of those occasions.

The guys put plenty of effort in and you can't ask for more than that.

We scored some good tries and we played a lot of rugby in Saturday's match at Sixways. We're trying to make incremental changes until we get the complete game.

But our performance against Montpellier was far more complete. We were a threat up front and a threat out wide. That's what we have been working towards.

We've got a good squad now and we've got some depth. Uche Oduoza put in a good performance. It's nice to see the young lads coming through. A few guys stepped up to the mark and showed their worth.

It was actually one of the hardest games we have had all year. Montpellier are a very strong side and they took some stopping.

Our discipline was outstanding. They were a big physical French side and there was a fair bit of antagonism but we were well disciplined and we closed the game out pretty convincingly.

We've got to target winning the group. When you look at the competition and the format and what it entails then you may get away with winning five games to qualify for Europe.

We're taking the tournament very seriously. European rugby is important from a club perspective and from an individual perspective.

The Challenge Cup is a good tournament this year and the carrot of Heineken Cup rugby gives it its validity.

We've still got some tough games left. We've to go to Montpellier and there's no such thing as an easy trip to the South of France. That will be a very physical encounter.

We hadn't seen much of Montpellier before Saturday's game and, to be honest, we know even less about Catania.

We're taking a pretty strong side to Sicily and its a question now of making sure we get our performance right. Winning is infectious and it's massively important that we continue to do so. A win this weekend takes us into the Premiership game against Leicester with a good mind-set.

It was great news for everybody at the club that director of rugby John Brain signed a new contract this week. He's done a fantastic job at Sixways. You can't take that away from him.

Players enjoy him and the way he works and it's great news that he is going to be at Worcester another three years.

Whatever strains and stresses the players face, it must be double for the management. It's a difficult job and he's doing it well.