WORCESTER WARRIORS
7 Pennell – Typified Warriors’ spirited display after being clattered twice. Suffered a nasty cut to the head in a try-saving tackle on Kurtley Beale. Bumped off a tackle for Christian Wade’s second try.
6 Heem – Red-carded early in the second half for a clumsy but not malicious challenge in the air on Willie Le Roux. It was a game-changing moment in the derby. Had a try chalked off in the first half.
6 Olivier – A strong defensive showing from the centre who will be disappointed with his spill in Wasps’ 22 which led to a length-of-the-field counter finished off by Alapati Leiua.
7 Willison – Rounded off the scoring with a stoppage-time try which helped to salvage a losing bonus point for Warriors.
8 Adams – The Welsh wizard bagged a brace of tries after a nervous start. He seemed to get in the way of Heem finishing off a well-worked overlap in the opening half.
7 Mills – Converted four of Warriors’ five tries after a slow start. Grew into the game and some of his kicking out of hand was excellent.
8 Hougaard – The South African scrum-half was pumped up for the derby. His instinct and speed at the breakdown kept Warriors on the front foot for long periods.
7 Rapava Ruskin – Left the field through injury early in the second half but was strong in the scrum in the opening period.
7 Taufete’e – Wasps struggled to cope with Warriors’ physicality, particularly in the first half as the hooker drove the visitors over the gain-line. Immaculate with his line-out throws.
8 Schonert – Another impressive stint from the highly-rated scrummager until he was replaced by Biyi Alo with 15 minutes remaining. A key element as Warriors bossed the scrum.
7 O’Callaghan – The skipper might have just turned 38 but Warriors’ Irish legend belied his veteran status with a typically abrasive showing.
8 Spencer – The former Bath lock threw himself into tackles on his own line and was also a force at the other end of the pitch. Another player who stood tall.
9 VUI – The versatile back row didn’t put a foot wrong in Warriors’ line-out and made a barnstorming break in the first half which led to a try from Adams. My man of the match.
8 Lewis – What the Welshman lacks in physicality he more than makes up for with his work-rate. Made countless tackles in a fast and bruising affair.
8 Mama – Has nailed down the number eight jersey after his performances against Bristol and Wasps. Didn’t take a backward step against Wasps and carried hard.
Replacements: Rapava Ruksin (Bower 42, 6), O’Callaghan (Potgieter 63), Taufete’e (Bregvadze 65),Schonert (Alo 65), Hougaard (Baldwin 67), Olivier (Hammond 69), Lewis (Dowson 74), Adams (Humphreys 77).
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU).
Red cards: Worcester: Heem, 46.
Yellow cards: Wasps: Mullan, 75.
Attendance: 14,949.
Wasps: Beale; Wade, Leiua, Gopperth, Le Roux; Cipriani, Robson; McIntyre, Johnson, Moore, Rowlands, Myall, Haskell, Young, Rieder. Replacements: Cruse, Mullan, Cooper-Woolley, Symons, Thompson, Simpson, Macken, Bassett.
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