Worcester Warriors

Worcester Rugby

Full name	Worcester Rugby Football Club
Founded	1871 (1871)
Location	Worcester, England
Ground(s)	Sixways Stadium (Capacity: 12,024 [1])
Chairman	Cecil Duckworth CBE
Coach(es)	Dean Ryan
Captain(s)	Gerrit-Jan van Velze
Most caps	Craig Gillies (288)
Top scorer	Shane Drahm (726)
Most tries	Nick Baxter (88)[2]
League(s)	Aviva Premiership
2014–15	12th (demoted to RFU Championship)
1st kit 2nd kit
Official website
www.warriors.co.uk

The Worcester Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club, nicknamed the Warriors. The club's first team play in the Championship. They have also competed in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, European Rugby Cup, British and Irish Cup and Aviva A League competitions. The club's kit is made by sports manufacturer KooGa, who they signed to a four-year deal in 2012 to produce home and away strips for the Aviva Premiership, as well as a third design for use in cup competitions.^[3] They are sponsored by Worcester Bosch and Fragrance Mad.^[4] Their home stadium is the Sixways Stadium, and the team colours are blue and gold.

History

Foundation

The club was founded in 1871 by the Reverend Francis John Ede, with the first known game played against the Royal Artillery Rugby Club on 8 November 1871.^[5] This game was played on Pitchcroft.^[6] The club began playing at Bevere in Worcester in 1954 and left Bevere for Sixways in 1975 when the clubhouse was opened. When the league system was formed, the club was placed in North Midlands Division One, a level eight league.

Support

Due to extensive support from their backer Cecil Duckworth, the club were able to build a strong team, with promotion after promotion following. In 2006, extremely ambitious plans were announced for a £23 million development programme, which would see a health club with fitness centre and swimming pool, fully tarmacked park and ride area, and expanded capacity, estimated to be 13,000.

Promotion to the Premiership

Worcester Warriors were promoted to the (then Zurich) Premiership after winning National Division One in 2003–04 with a perfect record of 26 wins from 26 games, something that had never before been achieved. They were the bookies', and many of the rugby pundits' odds-on-favourites to go straight back down but defied the odds to stay in the Premiership for another season, finishing ninth in the league, after wins against teams including Harlequins, Leeds, a historic victory against Premiership Champions London Wasps and Northampton in a 'winner takes all' end of season finale, which they won 21–19. This match was shown live with more twists and turns off the pitch as well as on it, with then Northampton player, Shane Drahm, who had signed for Worcester eventually starting, and successfully kicking almost everything, after press releases by Northampton stating that he would be a substitute. In the 2004–05 season, despite Premiership survival being their ultimate aim, they reached the final of the defunct European Shield at Oxford's Kassam Stadium, after beating Leeds Tykes in the semi-final. They eventually lost out to the French side Auch. They also managed to achieve a play-off match for the Heineken Cup against Saracens, but their long fight for Premiership survival and an injury-ravaged squad meant that they lost. Their achievements for that season meant that they had achieved much more than they had originally hoped for, as well as earning the respect of the other Premiership sides in the process.

In the 2005–06 season, they reached the quarter–finals of the European Challenge Cup after finishing top of their pool with five wins out of a possible six, above Connacht, Montpellier Hérault and Amatori Catania, and faced an away match against Northampton Saints on April Fool's Day, which they won, in what was described by sports writers as some of the best rugby they have played all season. They reached the semi – finals where they faced Gloucester Rugby in a local derby showdown, it being the third time they had played Gloucester that season, with the European match being played the week after the Premiership match at Kingsholm. Despite playing some thrilling rugby, and looking much more solid as a team than the previous week's Premiership performance, they were knocked out of the competition. The European Challenge Cup was then a much more important competition to Worcester as it offered them a route into the Heineken Cup. In the 2005–06 Guinness Premiership, they avoided relegation and were safe much earlier in the season, which meant that they avoided a repeat of last years relegation battle on the last day of the season. The season culminated in an eighth place finish in the league on 47 points, one place higher than 2004–05, with the same amount of wins (9) but more bonus points and a draw, missing 7th position due to Newcastle Falcons having a better points difference, secured on the last day of the season. This was a huge achievement considering that this is still only their second season in rugby's top flight.

In the 2006–07 season Worcester didn't get off to a very good start and for the majority of the season they were positioned in 12th place, but a good run of form which involved beating some of the top sides in the Premiership, helping them to avoid relegation and send the former Heineken Cup champions Northampton Saints down into National Division One.

Established in the Premiership

For the 2007–08 season Worcester had brought in several big name players, the best known being the All Black Rico Gear. But they again didn't start off very well in the Premiership and did not record their first victory until after Christmas. While they were struggling in the premiership they were enjoying good success in the European Challenge Cup (ECC), progressing through the group stages. After Christmas their premiership formed picked up and they beat top teams such as Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks, which subsequently saw them move out of the relegation zone, Leeds Carnegie replacing them. They progressed even further in the ECC and beat off Montpellier Hérault RC in the quarter-final and saw off Newcastle Falcons in the semi-final which set up a final against Bath. Leeds Carnegie could not survive relegation and were relegated well before the end of the season. The final against Bath resulted in a 24–16 defeat in a one-sided game.^[7]

In 2008 Worcester pulled off one of their largest signings ever by signing Australian international Chris Latham from the Queensland Reds, for the 2008–09 season on a 3-year deal.^[8] He is regarded as the greatest Reds player as well as the best Wallabies fullback. The season again didn't go the way it was planned but Worcester still progressed in the ECC and pulled off home and away victories over local rivals Gloucester and London Wasps in the league. However the season ended disappointingly (after Worcester suffered a succession of serious injuries), losing in the semi-final of the European Challenge Cup to Bourgoin.

Relegation from the Premiership

After the disappointment of the 2008–09 Guinness Premiership season, the Warriors made a bright start to the 2009–10 Guinness Premiership season. Either side of a loss to Wasps, they had convincing wins over newly promoted Leeds Carnegie and over Sale Sharks, only their second home win over Sale since they joined the top flight in 2004–05, which was then followed by an unlucky loss at champions Leicester Tigers. A poor spell followed with 10 games without a win. During the winless spell, the club did become the first Premiership team to draw four games in a season and the first team to draw three successive league games. Following this bad spell, the Warriors secured a much needed 13–0 victory over Newcastle at Sixways, before another six consecutive losses. On 25 April, the Warriors were relegated from the Premiership after a 12–10 loss away to Leeds Carnegie, their first relegation in 22 years. They played the 2010–11 season in the Championship with Richard Hill as the new Head Coach, on a 2-year contract and Chris Pennell as the new captain.

Return to the Premiership

The 2010–11 season saw Worcester win 30 out of 31 games in the Championship, losing the only game to the Cornish Pirates in the main season at Sixways. Worcester were top of the league and top of their stage 2 group. After winning the play-off against Bedford Blues at Sixways and the both legs of the play-off final, Worcester secured promotion to the Premiership for the 2011–12 season.^[9] Before the season began, there were local news reports that Worcester Warriors aimed to build a Hilton Hotel on the Sixways site, whilst also building a health and leisure facility and potentially expanding the North Stand.^[10]

Hill left the Warriors in April 2013 and was replaced by Dean Ryan.^[11]

Rivalries

Worcester have developed two main rivalries in their recent history with Gloucester and Rotherham.

The rivalry with Rotherham stemmed from the clubs meeting each other numerous times in The Championship between 1998 and 2003. Since Worcester gained promotion to The Championship in 1998, the two clubs were constantly at the top end of the table together, battling for the solitary promotion place. In the four seasons they were both in the league, between 1998 and 2003, Rotherham finished 2nd once and 1st three times, whilst Worcester finished 3rd twice and 2nd twice. Due to both teams consistently doing well in the league and tensions between the two clubs high off the pitch, the games often attracted bigger crowds and greater media interest than usual. The importance of the clashes and the rivalry that developed led to the two clubs being dubbed 'The Celtic and Rangers' of their division.^[12]

The Rivalry peaked in 2002/03 and the first meeting of the 2002/03 campaign between the two teams came at Millmoor on the 23rd November. Despite being fairly early on in the season, a big 5 point win for Rotherham in front of over 4,000 fans, including a sizeable away following from Worcester, was a huge step in Rotherham winning the league and gaining promotion. The rivalry between the two clubs had greatly intensified the previous season, and this encounter was another very heated and physical battle. Worcester were well on top during the first half and went into the interval 13-6 ahead thanks to a Chris Garrard try and some excellent game management from fly half Tim Walsh. However, the second half was a completely different affair and with Worcester's Chris Garrard sent off for a dangerous tackle on Jacob Raulini and Mark Gabey sin binned, Rotherham, spurred on by their biggest and most vociferous crowd of the season, scored 32 unanswered points, including four tries to complete a demolition of Worcester.^[13]

Despite the big win for Rotherham at Millmoor, Worcester only lost one game until the two teams met again at Sixways in April, winning 12 league games and losing only away to Orrell. This ensured they kept in contact with Rotherham at the top of the table. The game at Sixways was the third last game of the season and, with the sides neck and neck in the league, the winner would almost certainly gain a place in The Premiership. Worcester had gone 20 games and 18 months since their last home loss, which was to Rotherham in September 2001.^[14] The game was the first Championship match to be broadcast live on Sky Sports and the game also saw the record attendance for a Championship game, with temporary stands constructed to ensure 5,700 fans could watch. Rotherham brought a 1,000 strong contingent, almost all of whom were sat in the North Stand at Sixways, in what was virtual segregation. The first half of the game was extremely tense, with Rotherham leading 9-3 at half time. However the second half saw Rotherham score two tries in 10 minutes which put the game out of Worcester's reach. Rotherham went on to win the game 21-9, which spark wild celebrations and a pitch invasion from the Rotherham fans.^[12]

Rotherham are often considered as Worcester's rivals by those fans who watched Worcester before 2004. However, because Worcester's average attendances have more than doubled since then, a large percentage of the Worcester fan base, many of them newer supporters, see Gloucester as Worcester's main rivals. This is predominantly because of playing them regularly since gaining promotion to The Premiership in 2004, the geographical closeness of the two Cities and various media sources citing the game as a derby.^[15] However, despite playing Gloucester regularly, many Worcester fans see the rivalry as a media-made one and on the whole, Gloucester fans do not see Worcester as a rivalry or derby at all. Many Gloucester fans say that Bath, Bristol, Exeter and Leicester are bigger derby matches than the ones vs. Worcester.^[16]

Current standings

2014–15 RFU Championship Table
	Club	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points For	Points Against	Points Difference	Try Bonus	Loss Bonus	Points
1	Bristol	22	21	0	1	774	399	375	18	1	103
2	Worcester Warriors	22	19	0	3	858	335	523	18	3	97
3	London Scottish	22	12	2	8	534	498	36	10	2	64
4	Rotherham Titans	22	13	1	8	505	488	17	5	2	61
5	Nottingham	22	12	0	10	461	578	–117	5	3	56
6	Yorkshire Carnegie	22	10	1	11	494	462	32	7	5	54
7	Jersey	22	8	2	12	495	621	–127	5	7	48
8	Cornish Pirates	22	9	0	13	436	464	–28	4	5	45
9	Doncaster Knights	22	8	1	13	429	481	–52	3	6	43
10	Bedford Blues	22	7	0	15	433	604	–171	6	4	38
11	Moseley	22	5	1	16	441	637	–196	4	5	31
12	Plymouth Albion (R)	22	3	2	17	314	630	–316	1	5	21
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background are promotion play-off places. Pink background is the relegation place. Updated: 19 April 2015 Source: "Greene King IPA Championship". NCA Rugby.

Current squad

2014-15 Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Niall Annett Hooker Ireland Agustin Creevy Hooker Argentina Dan George Hooker Wales Ben Sowrey Hooker England Ryan Bower Prop England Ofa Fainga'anuku Prop Tonga Rob O'Donnell Prop England George Porter Prop England Val Rapava-Ruskin Prop Georgia Joe Rees Prop Wales Nick Schonert Prop South Africa Darren O'Shea Lock Ireland James Percival Lock England Dan Sanderson Lock England Mike Williams Lock Zimbabwe Sam Betty Flanker England Richard de Carpentier Flanker England Matt Cox Flanker England Matt Gilbert Flanker England Sam Lewis Flanker Wales Leonardo Senatore Number 8 Argentina Jonathan Thomas Number 8 Wales Gerrit-Jan van Velze (c) Number 8 South Africa

Player Position Union Jonny Arr Scrum-half England Jean-Baptiste Bruzulier Scrum-half Wales Charlie Mulchrone Scrum-half England Ryan Lamb Fly-half England Ignacio Mieres Fly-half Argentina Sam Windsor Fly-half Australia Ravai Fatiaki Centre Fiji Alex Grove Centre Scotland Ryan Mills Centre England Max Stelling Centre England Andy Symons Centre England Heath Stevens Centre England Tom Biggs Wing England Josh Drauniniu Wing England Dean Hammond Wing South Africa Sam Smith Wing England James Stephenson Wing England Cooper Vuna Wing Australia Ben Howard Fullback England Chris Pennell Fullback England

Academy squad

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Jack Singleton Hooker England Jack Cosgrove Prop Scotland Mike Daniels Prop England Josh McNulty Prop England Shay Kerry Lock England Christian Scotland-Williamson Lock England Andrew Boyce Flanker England Andrew Kitchener Flanker England Sam Smith Flanker England Huw Taylor Number 8 England

Player Position Union George de Cothi Scrum-half England Tiff Eden Fly-half England Perry Humphreys Wing England Josh Watkins Wing England Jon Hughes Fullback England

Rugby World Cup

The following are players which have represented their countries at the World Cup, whilst playing for Worcester:

Player	Position	Country	Tournament
Sililo Martens	Scrum-half	Tonga	1999
Sateki Tuipulotu	Fullback	Tonga	1999
Ben Hinshelwood	Wing	Scotland	2003
Chris Horsman	Prop	Wales	2007
Netani Talei	Number eight	Fiji	2007
Aisea Havili	Wing	Tonga	2007
Loki Crichton	Fullback	Samoa	2007
Aleki Lutui	Hooker	Tonga	2007 and 2011
Ravai Fatiaki	Centre	Fiji	2011

Current Coaching Staff

• Dean Ryan – Director of Rugby
• Carl Hogg – Head Coach
  • Sam Vesty – Backs Coach
  • Simon Cross – Defence Coach
  • Ceri Jones – Scrum Coach
  • Mark Hewitt – Skill Development & Academy Manager
  • Paul Warwick – Transition Coach
  • Mefin Davies - Transition Coach

^[17]

Notable former players

Mariano Galarza Shane Drahm Chris Garrard Drew Hickey Chris Latham Tommy Hayes Nick Baxter Miles Benjamin Richard Blaze James Brown Ben Clarke Chris Fortey Marcel Garvey Craig Gillies Ben Gollings Andy Gomarsall Andy Goode Dylan Hartley Ben Harvey Paul Hodgson Kai Horstmann Jim Jenner Chris Jones Graham Kitchener Matt Kvesic Daren O'Leary Steve Lloyd Neil Lyman Matt Mullan Luke Narraway Shaun Perry Duncan Roke Pat Sanderson Dean Schofield

Gary Trueman Tony Windo Tom Wood Josh Matavesi Thomas Lombard Rico Gear Greg Rawlinson Sam Tuitupou David Lemi Dale Rasmussen Jeremy Su'a Earl Va'a Siaosi Vaili Ben Hinshelwood Euan Murray David Officer Hugo Southwell Thinus Delport Gavin Pfister Werner Swanepoel Andre Van Niekerk Aleki Lutui Tevita Taumoepeau Johnny Taumoheloa Sateki Tuipulotu Adam Black Chris Horsman Darren Morris Matt Powell Craig Quinnell

Club honours

• North Midlands Cup Winners 1977-78
• North Midlands Division One Champions 1989-90
• Midlands Division Two Champions 1992/93
• Midlands Division One Champions 1994-95
• North Midlands Cup Winners 1995–96
• Courage League Division 5 North Champions 1995-96
• Courage League Division 4 North Champions 1996-97
• Jewson National League 1 Champions 1997-98
• North Midlands Cup Winners 1997-98
• Powerline Floodlit Cup Winners 1997-98
• National Division Two Champions 1999-2000
• National Division One Champions 2003-04
• RFU Championship Champions 2010-11^[18]
• British and Irish Cup Winners 2014-15

Top-Flight Seasons

Season	Premiership			Domestic Cup		European Cup
	Competition	Final Position	Points	Competition	Performance	Competition	Performance
2013–14	Aviva Premiership	12th	16	LV Cup	4th in pool	European Challenge Cup	4th in pool
2012–13	Aviva Premiership	11th	33	LV Cup	4th in pool	European Challenge Cup	2nd in pool
2011–12	Aviva Premiership	10th	36	LV Cup	3rd in pool	European Challenge Cup	2nd in pool
2009–10	Guinness Premiership	12th	28	LV Cup	4th in pool	European Challenge Cup	3rd in pool
2008–09	Guinness Premiership	11th	34	EDF Energy Cup	4th in pool	European Challenge Cup	Semi-finalists
2007–08	Guinness Premiership	10th	36	EDF Energy Cup	4th in pool	European Challenge Cup	Finalists
2006–07	Guinness Premiership	11th	34	EDF Energy Cup	2nd in pool	European Challenge Cup	2nd in pool
2005–06	Guinness Premiership	8th	47	Powergen Cup	4th in pool	European Challenge Cup	Semi-finalists
2004–05	Zurich Premiership	9th	42	Powergen Cup	6th round	European Shield	Finalists

Charitable Causes

Cecil Duckworth is a trustee of the Wooden Spoon, the charity of British rugby, supporting disadvantaged children. In January 2007, Worcester opened a "Playing for Success" centre, supported by Spoon.

See also

• Worcester Bosch Group

References

External links

• Official Site
• Come On You Warriors, Unofficial Supporters site on Sportnetwork
• Independent Supporters Site
• Official club sponsor: Fragrance Mad
• BBC Rugby Union
• Guinness Premiership
• European Rugby
• Worcester News

RFU Championship 2014–15 Teams Bedford Blues Bristol Cornish Pirates Doncaster Knights Jersey London Scottish Moseley Nottingham Plymouth Albion Rotherham Titans Worcester Warriors Yorkshire Carnegie Former clubs Birmingham-Solihull Blackheath Bracknell Cornish All Blacks Coventry Ealing Trailfinders Esher Exeter Chiefs Fylde Gosforth Harlequins Henley Liverpool St Helens London Irish London Welsh Manchester Morley Newbury Newcastle Falcons Northampton Saints Orrell Otley Richmond Rosslyn Park Rugby Sale Sharks Saracens Sedgley Park Wakefield Waterloo West Hartlepool Seasons National Division Two 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 Premiership Two 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 National Division One 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 Championship 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 Representative team RFU Championship XV

British and Irish Cup 2014–15 Teams English Bedford Blues Bristol Rugby Cornish Pirates Doncaster Knights Jersey London Scottish Moseley Nottingham Rugby Plymouth Albion Rotherham Titans Worcester Warriors Yorkshire Carnegie Irish Connacht Eagles Leinster A Munster A Ulster Ravens Welsh Aberavon Carmarthen Quins Cross Keys Pontypridd Former clubs English Birmingham & Solihull 2009–10, 2010–11 Coventry 2009–10 Ealing Trailfinders 2013–14 Esher 2010–11, 2011–12 Exeter Chiefs 2009–10 London Welsh 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14 Newcastle Falcons 2012–13 Scottish Ayr 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14 Currie 2010–11, 2011–12 Dundee HSFP 2012–13 Edinburgh Academicals 2013–14 Gael Force 2009–10 Gala 2012–13, 2013–14 Heriot's FP 2009–10 Melrose 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13 Stirling County 2012–13, 2013–14 Welsh Bedwas 2012–13 Bridgend Ravens 2012–13 Cardiff 2009–10, 2012–13 Llandovery 2010–11, 2012–13 Llanelli 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14 Neath 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13 Newport 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13 Swansea 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13 Seasons 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15

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