Late decisions hit victory hope – Boss

Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock admitted two big decisions late in the game had proved costly as Warriors fought back to claim a 12-12 draw with Bath Rugby at Sixways Stadium.

Home officials were left unhappy after centre Sam Tuitupou was given a late yellow card and Warriors were forced to battle back to share the points a man down.

Ruddock also believed his team could have been given a late shot at the posts and victory after a scrum deep in the Bath half.

“There were a few talking points, one being the chip ahead when Sammy got yellow carded. It was very difficult to see why he got a yellow card, if I am honest,” said Ruddock.

“I thought Pat Sanderson, when he got high tackled, could have been a yellow card as well.

“If you are going to give a yellow card in one situation, then you probably have to back it up with a yellow card for a high tackle a bit later on.

“We also had a couple of crucial penalties in the scrum. I felt it was a penalty at the end where their tight-head definitely stood up in the scrum in the 22.

“Sometimes you expect those at home with home advantage, but they didn‘t come our way today and in the end it was a draw.”

Ruddock was left to take a draw from the contest and insisted his team should now use it as a platform ahead of the visit of high flying Saracens next Friday night (November 27).

“We looked a good side, we looked organised and we looked committed,” he added.

“Our big try saving tackles typified our effort really, we were committed and just couldn’t quite find the killer blow to put them away. I think we deserved it.

“It’s two more points in the bag and this is a league where every point does count. It’s so important to pick up points whenever you can.

“There was nothing between the two teams – it could have gone either way.

“I felt on balance we just deserved to edge it, but we didn’t and we did well, in the end, to actually get the draw that we did with a man in the sin bin.

“I thought we played pretty well, we looked solid and organised and were unlucky not to get a result.”


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