WORCESTER Cavaliers fought back for their first win of the 2018-19 Premiership Rugby Shield season in a maximum point 32-26 victory over Leicester Tigers at Loughborough University.

Leicester got off to a barnstorming start as Robbie Povey and Sam Lewis went over to make it 14-0 within the first six minutes but Cavaliers responded with impressive scores for Tom Howe and Ollie Lawrence.

A Joe Ford penalty either side of the break extended Leicester’s lead but Mason Tonks’ try brought Worcester to within one before a Ford drop-goal edged Tigers further ahead.

But Cavaliers stepped up a gear in the latter stages as Ted Hill went over for the try-bonus point and Farai Mudariki put the game to bed at the death on a fine night for the youngsters.

The match also saw fit-again flanker Carl Kirwan make his long-awaited return from injury. The 27-year-old played the opening 40 minutes before being replaced by Tom Dodd at half-time.

Worcester take on Sale Jets at Sixways on Monday, September 24.

Worcester Cavaliers: David; Howe, Lawrence, Margetts, Tonks (Muric 64); Scully, Baldwin (O’Sullivan 58); Owen (Rigby 64), Cutting (Liney 64), Milasinovich (Mudariki 54), Scott, Fuller (Macartney 54), Hill, Kirwan (Dodd 40), Cox.