Worcester will face London Irish and Saracens if they reach the final of the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby 7s Series after the pair qualified from the opening round at the Stoop.
The Warriors open their own J.P. Morgan campaign at Kingsholm a week on Thursday as they take on hosts Gloucester, last year’s surprise package in the Premiership, Exeter, and the hosts of the finals, Bath.
At the opening round in south west London it was Sarries who came out on top in a three-way battle for the title, as they, Irish and Harlequins all finished on two wins from three games.
While Wasps finished without a win, the other three fought all the way, but in the end it is the reigning Premiership champions who miss out on a place in the finals at the Rec on August 3rd.
For a strong Irish lineup it was Alex Gray who stood out, earning the Player of the Round award, and he admitted that it had taken a while for them to find their groove.
He said: “It wasn’t quite how we would have liked to do it, obviously losing our first game but we probably needed that to snap us back into it because it was probably the first time some of these guys have played sevens, I know it is for me, since school at least.
“Now we’re through to the finals so you have got to be happy with that and we can come back in two weeks time and have a crack at the finals in Bath.”
The Exiles, featuring five full internationals including the returning Shane Geraghty, were surprised first up by Quins, losing their opener 21-14 before thrashing Wasps.
Quins’ good start was wasted when they were hammered by Sarries 33-0, and their failure to pick up a losing bonus point proved costly when the Exiles’ 14-12 win over Sarries in the penultimate game sent both sides through.
That left Quins with a dead rubber against Wasps, which they duly won, however they will not get the chance to add to the Premiership crown they claimed at Twickenham in May.
To buy tickets for the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby 7s Series visit: www.jpmorgan7s.com or call 08448 472 492