Goode looks to the future (From Worcester News)

Goode looks to the future

2:00pm Saturday 28th July 2012 in Sport By Tom Guest, @tomguestWN #WENsport

ONE of the lowest points of Andy Goode’s Warriors career came in front of the same fans who used to chant his name when he was red-carded at Welford Road last season.

The Worcester play-maker was eager to make an impression on his return to Leicester Tigers — the club where he spent eight trophy-laden years of his career — and he did just that.

Unfortunately, it was for all the wrong reasons as the only impression he made was the one his shoulder left on the side of Tom Croft’s face, which led to referee Wayne Barnes sending Goode for an early bath.

However, that is water under the bridge now and the former England fly-half is delighted to have been given an early chance to make amends for that moment of madness.

Goode said: “Leicester Tigers in the second away game is tough and it didn’t help that I got sent off last season at Welford Road.

“I’m pleased that has come early so I can, if given the opportunity, put in a big performance and rectify that.

Goode has called upon his Sixways team-mates to learn from the mistakes of last season and avoid a repeat of the numerous frustrating matches where Warriors snatched defeat from the jaws of victory late on.

He added: “Last season, I was pretty happy with some games, but there were a lot of frustrations when in a few we got pipped at the post.

“Our season could have been very different instead of in the last few games just knowing we were safe and that was reflected in our results.

“We finished badly against Northampton and London Irish but, if we had turned a few of those narrow defeats into victories, we could have been pushing for the Heineken Cup at the end.

“Hopefully, this season, we will draw on those experiences of losing and turn them into wins.

“The Premiership will be as tough as ever this year. We saw last season that any team can beat another on its day and this time, with no Rugby World Cup, it will be difficult.

“It’s a huge start. A home game to begin with is big and Bath have a new coaching set-up too. If we can get a good win, it sets us up well.”