Richard Hill is determined to be a calming presence on the touchline in Cornwall as the red hot cauldron of an RFU Championship final with Cornish Pirates explodes into life tomorrow (Wednesday) -the former England scrum half just wishes he could be out in the middle playing!
Warriors make the long 250-mile trip to Penzance today ahead of the first leg of the league final at The Mennaye Field (kick-off 7.45pm).
A partisan and passionate crowd of 3,500 fans – including a travelling army of Worcester supporters – will watch the drama unfold in what is sure to be a nerve-shredding encounter.
However, Hill will once again portray a cool demeanour just yards from the action as he looks to ensure his Warriors play to their potential and keep their heads.
“I have changed as a coach,” he said. “When you finish playing you get very emotional and think that shouting and screaming about on the touchline makes a difference.
“On the touchline you get a good feel for it – up in the stand you can’t always get a feel for it. You want to be able to look into the players eyes.
“You learn to control your emotions as you get older. Mind you, we have two games left to go. But I have mellowed over the years.
“You do wish you were still playing. I was excited before the semi-final with Bedford and when you hear the numbers of supporters that are going to be at the ground, and at Penzance, it is a fantastic crowd to play on front of.
“It’s certainly much easier to be on the field and influencing the game rather than in your little box you have been allocated by the side of the pitch.”
Warriors will travel to Pirates knowing there has been little to separate the two teams in the league encounters at Sixways and The Mennaye Field.
A tough and closely-fought first leg is now widely expected and Hill is keen to taste two-legged success after admitting his last experience in play-offs.
Prior to joining Warriors, Hill was Head Coach of French outfit Chalon-sur-Saône and he led them to the verge of promotion, before being edged out over two legs by St Etienne.
“I was involved in a two-legged game last year in France – it didn’t go well,” smiled Hill. “I was with the team that played all the rugby against St Etienne that had an outside half that didn’t pass the ball and just kicked.
“It was a bizarre game because if he was in drop goal range he would have a go. If it went dead you would drop out then he would catch it and drop another goal.
“If you are playing against a team that doesn’t play rugby it is hard. That is what we are trying to press on the players.
“Last season Bristol looked to play the rugby while Exeter played very sensibly and kicked to the corners and took the goals. That is knockout cup rugby and we are trying to educate the players into that mode of thinking.
“It is not our natural way of thinking. Our natural way of thinking is to try and get the ball to Marcel Garvey or Miles Benjamin and our quick runners. But you can’t always do that.
“The last game played at Penzance – Pirates against London Welsh in the semi-final – was miserable and it was raining while we had glorious sunshine here against Bedford.
“That could happen again, we could go and it could be grim with wind. We have got to go with the mindset of not having a pretty game but a winning game.”