Saturday, February 7, 2004

IN professional sport, it is an entirely natural state of affairs to be playing for your future.

In a cut-throat environment it simply comes with the territory.

At Worcester, however, the situation is likely to become acute in the coming weeks and on Saturday, a few players got in an early pitch.

David Officer and Jon Hylton -- fringe players for much of the season -- certainly took the eye and will have given coaches John Brain and Andy Keast food for thought. Both scored a brace of tries and looked a constant threat to a Manchester side who are utterly doomed at the bottom of the table.

"Everyone wants to be playing in the Premiership with Worcester," said Brain, Worcester's director of rugby.

"We have a number of players on one-year contracts and they'll be looking to make an impact when they get their chances. David Officer showed that he's getting close to the type of form we know he is capable while Jon Hylton is certainly improving his game and that was nice to see."

Ultimately, Worcester ran in 12 tries and if referee Trevor Fisher hadn't reduced the league leaders to 13 men late in the first half, the score could have gone into three figures such was the chasm in class.

Hylton, by the ninth minute, had already cut the Manchester defence to ribbons with two tries before setting up Officer for his first. Their interplay on the left was too much for the basement boys while Ben Hinshelwood once again showed his versatility with a commanding display at 12.

The Scottish international broke through on 17 minutes to add the fourth try and wrap up the bonus point and, after Gavin Pfister's obligatory driven try on 26 minutes, the crowd braced themselves for a cricket score.

That it didn't come was down to a blend of Manchester fight and Mr Fisher's refereeing. After happily ticking off Kiti Viliamu for a head-high tackle earlier in the half, he then proceeded to yellow card Richard Bates and Lee Fortey in the space of two minutes for ruck offences.

Two separate fouls yes, but with the scoreline reading 31-3 at the time, hardly ones which were likely to have a massive bearing on the result. Asking for common sense is possibly a step too far however.

Manchester took advantage of the extra men when they opened up the second half with James Dalton's try to go with Stuart Brown's earlier penalty. That, though, was as good as it got for the relegation fodder.

Replacement Russell Earnshaw was driven over on 50 minutes, Drew Hickey pounced from a five-metre scrum to notch up try number seven before doubling up soon after as he ran in on the left. Officer then broke through once again to devastating effect before Fortey piled over and Chris Garrard also got in on the try-scoring act following another hefty maul.

The final word came from youngster Rhodri McAtee. The scrum half, who got his chance because of Werner Swanepoel's illness, impressed by his sheer enthusiasm and sprinted in on the left on 80 minutes to cap an afternoon to remember for the fringe players.

Tommy Hayes added the conversion - his seventh of the afternoon - and the crowd, who were treated to a sight of the Webb Ellis Trophy at half time, went home bubbling.

There is little doubt Worcester will be playing in the Premiership next season, the issue now surrounds just who will and who won't be wearing the shirts. The bidding war has begun.

Worcester: O'Leary 8; Garrard 8, Officer 7, HINSHELWOOD 9, Hylton 7; Hayes 7, Powell 7; Windo 8, Hall 7, Fortey 7, Gabey 7, Gillies 7, Bates 7, Pfister 7, Hickey 8.

Replacements: McAtee 7 (O'Leary 55), Brown, Trueman, Lyman 7 (Windo 55), Daly 6 (Hall 55), Zaltzman 7 (Gabey 55), Earnshaw 7 (Pfister 51).

Man of the match: Ben Hinshelwood - another power-packed display from the centre.