Sanderson positive over team future

Skipper Pat Sanderson insisted his Worcester Warriors had evolved this season and admitted he was already looking forward to next season after European Challenge Cup heartbreak to Bourgoin in France.

Worcester’s dreams of a return to the cup final to avenge last year’s defeat to Bath were ended after a valiant effort at the Stade Pierre Rajon.

Sanderson was full of praise in defeat to the hosts and revealed his intention to help the club kick on next season after an injury plagued campaign at Sixways Stadium.

“It is very difficult to assess our season as we have had a lot of injuries, but I think in the last seven or eight weeks we have really evolved,” said Sanderson.

“We can be positive going into next season, but we need to stay fit and we need to keep a healthy squad. If we do that I have no doubt that we will be successful in the future.

“We need everyone back, everyone fit and everyone pulling together and the latter we have got. In time the first two will happen.

“We’re not panicking and we are not worried, we are very much looking forward to next year. It would have been great to make a final so there is some obvious some disappointment now.

“We are making no excuses, though, Bourgoin were excellent and we didn’t have the fire-power to come back.”

Injuries again struck Warriors in France with experienced duo Greg Rawlinson and Darren Morris limping off in the first half.

But Sanderson was pleased with the manner in which the revamped pack had battled against adversity before his side grabbed a late consolation through Miles Benjamin.

“Having injuries does not help and we had guys playing out of position in the front row and early on that really showed,” he added.

“But you have to give credit to our front row boys because they are playing out of position and they have been hanging on it there, they have been doing it for four or five weeks now.

“There is no criticism levelled against them, Bourgoin were just very good in that area and they made it count.

“We definitely created opportunities – we said that at half-time. We thought we would get more opportunities and we had to make sure we nailed them.

“They came at us and all create to their half backs because I thought they were outstanding. They controlled the game and made it very difficult for us to play, they are world class.

“It is a whole different brand of rugby in Europe and it brings with it a whole different intensity when it comes to physicality. They had it in bucket loads and we didn’t quite have the fire-power to come back at them.”


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