Attitude pleases boss in Knights test

Head Coach Richard Hill praised his players for fronting up in a ‘bruising and physical encounter’ as Worcester Warriors secured a 37-16 victory over Doncaster Knights in the RFU Championship on Wednesday night.

Warriors produced a clinical final quarter in South Yorkshire to secure the bonus point win as Craig Gillies, Neil Best, Aleki Lutui, Bruce Douglas and Miles Benjamin crossed the whitewash.

“It was a job well done,” said Hill. “We had a really hard test against Doncaster at home when we won late on so we had the upmost respect for them.

“We knew we had to put a good side out and perform well. For 60 minutes it was a bruising and physical encounter as they gave as good as they got.

“In the last 20 minutes we managed to get on top and score a few tries, but I know our players feel like they have been in a very hard game. Credit to Doncaster for that.

“It was a good contest, they have a good scrum that they pride themselves on and for long periods of the game we had a tough old time, there is no doubt about that, and also in the physical breakdown exchanges.

“But we were up for it and showed the right attitude throughout. If we had been 10 or 15 percent off and not given them respect it could have been an uncomfortable evening.

“We matched them in the physicality and a little bit of quality in the end got us through a fight.

“They had to withstand quite a bit of punishment and I think we were physically in a little better shape and that told towards the end.

“They didn’t let us have any room and four out of the five tries were scored by the forwards, we had to go in close because there were not many holes in the Doncaster defence.”

He added: “I was pleased to see the likes of Joe Carlisle come on, they stepped up and played well when they came on.

“But for us it was more of a good all-round effort, no one particularly stood out because Doncaster didn’t let anyone stand out. It was a team effort.”


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