Intensity missing says Sixways boss (From Worcester News)

Intensity missing says Sixways boss

4:50pm Sunday 28th August 2011 in Match Reports

RICHARD Hill has vowed that his Wor-cester Warriors will return to the intensity they produced against Argentina when the Aviva Premiership kicks-off next weekend.

Warriors concluded preparations for the big opener with Sale Sharks next Saturday at Sixways (3pm) with a disappointing 24-21 defeat to Cornish Pirates on home soil.

Despite a scintillating score from winger Tom Arscott, it was Pirates who took a slender half-time lead after tries from Drew Locke and Dave Ewers.

A quick-fire double try burst from the Cornish visitors put them in command in the second-half as David Doherty and Kyle Marriott crossed to give the Pirates a commanding 24-7 lead.

Worcester mounted a fight-back as Ben Gulliver, against his former club, and Matt Kvesic scored, but it was too little too late as the Championship club claimed the win to give Hill plenty to ponder in terms of selection for the Sale clash in just seven days.

Hill pin-pointed a lack of intensity as a major factor and promised fans that his team would return to the manner in which they performed against international opposition just four days earlier when the league exploded into life.

“We will get back the intensity we need next week, we will get back to where we were against Argentina on Tuesday. Watching the intensity of that and today against Pirates was like chalk and cheese,” he said.

“Players out there were playing for their place against Sale. There were some good performances. I thought the likes of George Porter, Ed Shervington and Craig Gillies played well. The back row of Sam Betty and Matt Kvesic was outstanding. Outside of that, there were not too many top quality performances.

“That surprises me because they had a lot to play for. That group was there to end the season on a high and that it is disappointing for our supporters to lose that game.

“We have to pick ourselves back up and get back to where we were against Argentina.

“The players were disappointed. I didn’t need to say too much because they knew that was not the standard that was required. We have got to go up several gears before we contemplate doing well in the Aviva Premiership.”

Hill will now study the tape of the game and watch training closely next week before settling on his starting line-up for Sale Sharks.

“One or two have done OK, but whether they have done enough to oust those that weren’t out there I don’t know yet,” he added.

“I was delighted Chris Pennell came through unscathed. He is bound to be a little bit rusty as that is his first run out, but he has come through so that is a positive.

“It would be tough on the back of that game to come straight back in and Errie Claassens has played very well, but I will think about it. Maybe it is too early at this stage.

“You could tell our defence was not as intense as it has been in other games.

“People have got to get themselves in the right frame of mind.”