Assistant Head Coach Nigel Redman has vowed the ‘performance means everything to us’ as Warriors prepare to bring the curtain down on the European season this Saturday at Sixways.
Worcester face Bizkaia Gernika RT at Sixways (kick-off 3pm) as they aim to finish the European season on a high.
Perpignan’s six-try 40-22 victory over Femi-CZ VEA Rovigo on Thursday evening means the French Top 14 team will finish on top of Pool 2 even if Warriors claim a bonus point win on Saturday. This is due to the head-to-head record between the teams.
However, Redman insists there is still much to play for and has called on his Warriors to eclipse the points scoring and try scored record of Perpignan and to produce a strong performance on home soil.
“For us it’s important for us to finish with the most points for and the least points against – that is all we can do,” he said.
“You know the tournament rules before you enter into it, but I do think if you are going to have leagues then you have it over six games not two. I feel points difference should take priority, but all we can do now is remain focussed for this game.
“The beauty of it is we have a group of highly motivated players who now see that this game against Gernika, and our best two LV=Cup games, are important to keep momentum going at the club and for them to stake a claim for the next batch of Aviva Premiership games.
“For us it’s not now about qualification, it’s about finishing top of the group on points regardless. It’s about the way we play and performance on Saturday means everything to us.
“We have a target but it’s more about how we play the game as much as the score.”
Redman also reflected on the European campaign and believes Warriors can take huge heart from the performances, especially against group winners Perpignan who were beaten at Sixways and pushed all the way in France.
“Our performances against Perpignan have been very good and positive,” he added.
“When we faced them in back-to-back games, we played well here and then even better in France where we created endless chances, particularly in the first 20 minutes in a place where people find it hard to go and play. It has been encouraging.
“As far as the Gernika and Rovigo games, you have to be professional and make sure that we get things from those games.
“They have given us the chance to play people in our squad who haven’t played for a while and also the opportunity to focus on areas of the game that we feel need developing.
“How the competition will look in the future is down to ERC, obviously we would like it to be based over your record in six games not two. That is because that also looks at the competition that Rovigo and Gernika present you.”
Tickets remain on sale to watch Warriors face Bizkaia Gernika RT at Sixways this Saturday afternoon. Call the Warriors Box Office on 01905 454183 or click HERE to buy online.
“For us it’s not now about qualification, it’s about finishing top of the group on points regardless. It’s about the way we play and performance on Saturday means everything to us…"