Friday, August 11, 2006

JOHN Brain's new-look Wor-cester Warriors side ran out 35-15 winners in an entertaining pre-season clash with Italian outfit Viadana at Sixways last night.

Summer arrivals Lee Best, Marcel Garvey, Miguel Avra-movic and Darren Morris all started the game, while academy youngsters James Collins, Will Bowley, Richard Blaze and Nick Runciman also played from the beginning.

As predicted in director of rugby Brain's programme notes, Viadana provided a very physical test.

And, after a bright opening characterised by electric running from new boys Garvey and Best, the Warriors were put under increasing pressure by their Italian opponents.

In fact, Viadana, who will be back at Sixways in October to play the Warriors in the ERC, took the lead after four minutes when fly-half Calvin Howarth slotted a simple penalty.

The opening half-hour certainly had the feeling of a pre-season game as Brain's mixture of newcomers and youngsters took their time to gel.

On 15 minutes, some slick handling from the visitors tested the Warriors' defence, but Andrea Accorsi's grubber- kick just ran out of play when a try was beckoning.

Former Gloucester flyer Gar-vey threatened the Viadana line after a blistering run that featured two deft chip kicks, but his progress was halted by full-back Kaine Robertson.

Worcester did cross on 33 minutes when Gary Trueman burst through the visitors' defence following a scrum near the touchline. James Brown added the extras to make it 7-3.

On the brink of half-time, Runciman touched down, before Brown's boot made it 14-3 at the interval.

Two minutes into the second-half, Viadana closed the gap to six points when centre Roberto Pedrazzi scored in the corner.

Worcester hit back four minutes later when Brown tou-ched down following a jinking solo run, before adding the two points from in front of the posts.

Viadana replacement Rober-to Mariani continued the points-spree by crossing in the corner in the 51st minute and Howarth converted from a narrow angle to make it 21-15.

Lock Gavin Quinnell, re-cruited from Llanelli Scarlets, burst over following a well-controlled rolling maul on 62 minutes. Brown maintained his 100 per cent record.

It proved to be an unhappy return for former Sixways favourite Saiosi Viali who was stretchered off after 67 minutes.

Avramovic added a debut try -- Warriors' fifth of the night -- in the dying minutes and the faultless Brown converted to make it 35-15 to round off the scoring.

Warriors: Lee Best (Jamie Lennard, 75), Mark Tucker (Uche Oduoza, 75), Miguel Avramovic, Gary Trueman (Simon Whatling, 52), Marcel Garvey (Mark Tucker, 79), James Brown, Nick Runciman (Ryan Powell, 52), Kai Horstmann, James Collins, Will Bowley (Gavin Quinnell, 48), Richard Blaze, Tim Collier (Craig Gillies, 48), Lee Fortey (Callum Black, h-t), Chris Fortey (Ben Gotting, 63), Darren Morris (Lee Fortey, 63). Unused replacements: Matt Mullan, Craig Everett.

Referee: Bruce Robertson.

Attendance: 2,109.