Redman targets LV= Cup success as tonic for Warriors (From Worcester News)

Redman targets LV= Cup success as tonic for Warriors

10:40am Monday 21st January 2013 in Sport By Tom Guest, @tomguestWN #WENsport

WARRIORS will put their Amlin Challenge Cup disappointment to one side and focus on qualifying for the knock-out stages of the LV= Cup, according to Sixways assistant coach Nigel Redman.

Saturday’s dead rubber drubbing of Bizkaia Gernika brought the curtain down on Worcester’s unsuccessful European campaign, but they now head to the Madejski Stadium on Sunday (3pm) looking for improved fortunes.

However, Redman insists that despite Warriors strong position at the top of pool two, they will continue their policy of using the cup competitions as a vehicle to blood youngsters and provide meaningful rugby for players on the fringes of the first XV.

He said: “The LV=Cup gives an opportunity for young talent to be involved. We want to go down to Reading and come away with a result.

“We are in a great position at the top of the group. We want to maintain that and it would be great to have a semi-final and, not looking too far ahead, with the final here that is an added incentive.

“We have to show value to each player. There are players with more experience, players who are playing well, players who have gone away for the last few weeks and, without the rigours of a game, the body has recovered.

“We have a full squad and it’s important the guys who are fully fit get game time.

“In this final run-in of league games, it is important that players have played and are up to speed with the tempo and intent. They need to play and are seen very much as part of the club going forward.” Redman added: “London Irish have some very good players. When you look at the squads they have been picking, I think each time you know when they click they will do well.

“But I can’t control what they do. We go with a positive intent to play and maintain the momentum that we have achieved in recent games.

“We have picked up points in all the games we have played recently and we go with that mindset. We look to get a home semi-final so we need to go and get a result and then come back to play Saracens at home.

“We look at the Amlin Challenge Cup and LV= Cup and want to win.”