WARRIORS head coach Clive Griffiths heaped praise on his players for the dramatic turnaround in fortunes they have achieved this season.

In the first few months after Griffiths and director of rugby Mike Ruddock took over the helm at Sixways, the team could not buy a win and it seemed as though the players would never adapt to the new style of play the coaches were advocating.

However, the perseverance is now paying off and Warriors are one of the form teams in the Guinness Premiership as well as being just 80 minutes away from a place in next year's Heineken Cup after brushing aside Newcastle Falcons 31-16 in the European Challenge Cup semi-final at Sixways on Friday night.

Griffiths said: "It's an amazing turnaround for us after all the trials and tribulations we had earlier in the season that we are now just 80 minutes away from a possible place in the Heineken Cup.

"It was an awesome game on Friday night. Newcastle are a good side and, when they move the ball around, they have a very potent back-line. I think when we got the ball in the right areas we capitalised on it.

"Also, you've got to pay tribute to our defence as Newcastle moved the ball around well and we did excellently to keep them out.

"They've got some very good ball-players in (Jonny) Wilkinson and (Toby) Flood as well as speed out wide with (Matthew) Tait coming in, so we were delighted with the back line and the way they defended.

"It was a good game to watch - a bit nervy at the end - but we slowed it down when we had to when Greg (Rawlinson) was in the sin bin. We went to the pick-and-go to wind the clock down but, when we had to spread the ball, we did that and it is good to have several strings to our bow as it keeps the opposition thinking all the time.

"Dale (Rasmussen) put in a big hit early on which turned defence into attack and things like that give you a lift and something to build on.

"It was very difficult to leave Rico (Gear) out, but Marcel (Garvey) is on the crest of a wave at the moment and deserves his place.

"It was difficult for Rico too as he has come over here with a big reputation and so much expectation, but in all fairness to Marcel and Miles (Benjamin), they are playing out of their skin at the moment.

"And, with Sam (Tuitupou) and Ras playing so well in midfield and Thinus (Delport) impressing at full-back, it's a difficult situation - but what a nice situation to be in!

"After scoring two tries to nil at Newcastle in the league game, but losing to all those penalty goals, it was a hard one to take, but we've emphatically put the record straight now.

"I don't think anyone could argue with the result - they had a good slice of the game in our 22, but you've got to cross the line and they didn't, so all credit to our defence.

"We'll dust ourselves down now and focus on playing Bristol in the Premiership next week as the European Challenge Cup final is still a number of weeks away."

Griffiths is now hoping that Bath's battle for the Premiership title could distract them from the ECC final.

He added: "I hope Bath will have the Premiership play-offs on their mind, because if they are looking over their shoulder at something else, we'll capitalise on that.

"We're raring to go for it and it is great that Mike (Ruddock) and I are in a final in our first season here. I think they'll respect us more than they have done in the past.

"If we were then to reach the Heineken Cup, it would be a step up in class from the ECC, but when you go to Montauban and Bucuresti in freezing conditions and get wins, they are good results.

"Also Montpellier are a good side, so we have beaten some top sides and deserve our top seeding."