Richard Hill believes his on-fire Worcester Warriors will take huge confidence from the 11-try rout of Bristol Rugby has they produced some ‘sparkling rugby’ to cruise to an emphatic 81-13 win on home soil.
Head Coach Hill called on his Warriors to end the pool stages in style with a bonus point win and saw his squad answer his calls in scintillating fashion.
Marcel Garvey and Aleki Lutui, plus a penalty try, saw Worcester take a commanding 27-13 half-time lead before a stunning second half show.
Adam Black, Greg Rawlinson, Dale Rasmussen, Jake Abbott, Tom Arscott, Miles Benjamin (2) and another penalty try saw Warriors rattle up 54 unanswered points with his blistering attacking rugby that thrilled a big home crowd.
“There was some sparkling rugby there and some great tries – but crucially in a controlled way,” said Hill.
“There is a danger of getting loose and losing your rhythm, but we were disciplined and accurate.
“I was very pleased with the second half. Despite making replacements from ten minutes into the second half it was a seamless transition.
“We scored eight tries in the second half and Bristol did not get a single point. That is not easy to do against anybody. Sometimes you get sloppy and concede points, but eight tries and no points against is very clinical.
“That was just what the crowd needed and the players will take a lot of confidence from that display.
“I hope it sends out a message to the other three teams left in the play-offs – it should do. When they look at that score line, that is a big score and it is not easy to score 80 points against anyone. Against a team like Bristol that is a terrific score.”
Prop Black scored the crucial bonus try for Warriors just four minutes into the second period and also provided one of the biggest cheers of the afternoon with his deft chip in behind creating more problems for bruised Bristol.
“We have a little phrase called the ‘thinking boot’ and if you are not going anywhere you want someone to use their head and put the ball in behind the opposition. Blacky has failed to understand that is normally for the scrum half or fly half – not for the front row,” smiled Hill.
“With a six man overlap you could see he thought he would put the old thinking boot in. It worked out very well, a sliced kick and we got a lineout five metres out.
“But he has had a little bit of stick for that and I haven’t seen him yet – he is hiding because he knows what he is going to get.
“I will show that video on Monday morning, though, it will show nicely what I mean by the thinking boot.”
Hill also had words of sympathy for his Bristol counterpart Paul Hull who saw his final league end in charge end in disarray as the visitors were run ragged in the final 20 minutes.
“I feel very sorry for Paul Hull,” concluded Hill. “It is his last league match and I know the management staff from Bristol are distraught about that score.
“The players will be too, not many of them will have been involved in an 80-point defeat, that is not easy to take.
“It will be tough to pick themselves up for next week, but I hope they do that against Pontypridd in the British & Irish Cup. They just caught the Warriors on a superb afternoon.”