Pat Sanderson has given an insight into the dressing room mood he believes will keep Worcester Warriors in the Guinness Premiership – and promised that, come what may, his playing future is committed to the club he loves.
The Warriors captain tells Sky’s Rugby Club, tomorrow night, that the “cup final” win against Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens, on Monday, was a “massive” result that has reinforced confidence and conviction as the club works hard to climb out of the Premiership basement.
And he’s certain that Warriors can continue the upturn in form and fortunes, starting with Sunday’s clash with London Wasps at Adams Park.
“We’ve got a huge spirit here,” he says. “We’re a very, very tight team. Generally, in these circumstances, that’s extraordinary. A lot of teams would have split apart.
“In some senses, we feel we’ve turned a bit of a corner. I’m very proud of the guys… We spend a lot of time together and enjoy each other’s company. Those are the qualities that will pull us through.”
He follows director of rugby John Brain’s view that there’s nothing to be gained from gazing at the teams around them. Winning as many matches between now and the end of the season is all that matters.
“We’ve no influence on whether other teams win or lose, apart from when we play them,” he adds. “It’s a huge job, from a mindset point of view. We’re in a lot of trouble, but we’re starting to believe that we’re capable of getting ourselves out of it. The manner in which we’re playing will get us out of it.”
The biggest factor, he agrees, has been the turnaround in the team’s defensive fortunes.
“Obviously, defensively, we’ve got to be sound. That’s something we weren’t at the start of the season. Phil Larder has come in and made changes. It’s difficult to build anything unless you can stop teams scoring. Our defence is something we can be proud of and that’s going to make a huge difference.
“We’ve got to go out there and make it happen. We’re aware of that. We’re not going into our shells. We’ve got to go out and score tries because that’s what wins games.”
He’s confident, too, that Warriors can come away from Adams Park with another result to build the smiles around Sixways, if the improvement continues.
“They’re a good side, but frightened isn’t the right word. We’re looking forward to the challenge. We don’t expect anything. You work for every point you get. We’ll be going with the right attitude and if we do, we can get a result.”
He believes margins have been so tight, this season, that Worcester could have walked off the pitch at four or five matches with a different score and put the team in a completely different league position.
“We can take heart from that,” he says. “To some extent, that’s what kept us going. We’ve kept on believing. We’ve got to put behind us what’s happened and look forward to what’s coming up. All the guys are looking forward to the game at the weekend”
He’s also clear where his own future lies wearing the gold-and-blue.
“We feel part of the Premiership and we want to stay here. One of the things that” fantastic about this club is that no one here wants to go. Because of that commitment to the club, we stand to get something out of it.
“I’ve got no intention of going anywhere. I want to be here for my playing future, irrespective of what happens. I love this club, and everyone in the dressing room feels the same and wants to give back the same commitment as they’re showing around the rest of the club.” Rugby Club is scheduled to be shown on Sky Sports 2 tomorrow at 5.30pm, 8pm, and midnight. It will also air on Friday at 9.30am on Sky Sports 3 and 2.30pm on Sky Sports 2.