WARRIORS’ director of rugby Dean Ryan was proud of his players after their em phatic victory at Clifton Lane.

Ryan admitted he felt vulnerable going into the match because he had picked so many young players in the squad.

But he said: “I am really proud of a young group who came to Rotherham and got a job done.

“Rotherham is one of the tough Champi - onship grounds to play at and we had to be clinical, not try to over-impress, not try to do too much but try to nail down points.

“Considering we have got 10 or 11 expe - rienced players not in this group, I felt a little bit vulnerable.

“I didn’t know whether we had enough in the tank experience-wise to manage that.”

But Warriors had wrapped up the game before the interval after romping into a 37-0 advantage.

Ryan said: “There weren’t any flukes – there were not any intercepts, it was a re - ally good job.

“To see young lads make decisions and understand how to stay on the script and understand how to win a game was all there in those 40 minutes.

“These players will have gained a huge amount from it.

“This was a crucial first stage of the sea - son and I think 30 guys have played for the first team in five games.

“We understand that this competition is about getting to the end – and then win - ning the end.

“I am delighted to see young men taking their chance and I am trying to create the ethos of the club.

“It’s a real good shot in the arm for them because I think everyone will know this ground is a banana skin for all teams. We took the game away within 40 minutes.

“It’s the most cohesive and most on- script and passionate that we have been in nailing a game in the early stages.

“Sometimes we have tried to overplay things and tried to impress and I can un - derstand why but, sometimes, rugby is about leaving that for another week and just winning a game.

“I thought they were really clinical about doing that and, given their age, I think it’s a huge shot in the arm for them.

“It was an incredibly proud day for me and the rugby club because everything is about giving these guys a chance and them taking their chances.”

But it was a sobering afternoon for Rotherham head coach Lee Blackett, who watched two of his former players, Char - lie Mulchrone and Dan Sanderson, im - press on their return to the club.

He said: “It was a hard one to take – it was a bit like men versus boys at times.

“We know that in the big games against the top sides you have to front up in the first 20 minutes and we were really disap - pointed. If you give a side like Worcester a 20-point lead then you are always going to struggle.

“I think the only positive thing was our scrum for the first 60 minutes but we lost the physical battle in every other aspect of the game. The Worcester pack did a great job of getting forward ball.”