Worcester Warriors reached their first ever J.P. Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby 7s Series after Richard de Carpentier’s men steamrolled all before them at Kingsholm on Thursday night.
Heading to Gloucester the Warriors had only won one J.P. Morgan Premiership Rugby 7s game but they were unstoppable at Kingsholm as they secured a maximum 15 points with victories over the hosts, Bath Rugby and Exeter Chiefs.
Game One: Exeter 17 Warriors 26
Warriors opened the JP Morgan Premiership Rugby 7s in some style as they secured a bonus point 26-17 win over Exeter Chiefs in the evening sunshine at Kingsholm.
Worcester were immediately in the ascendancy as captain Richard de Carpentier looked to make space down the middle with a powerful run before Ben Howard produced a superb tap tackle to stop Chiefs going clear.
Impressive young duo Tiff Eden and Rhys Owen looked lively as Paul Hodgson pulled the early strings, with only a forward pass stopping Eden from opening his account on the night.
However, the opening score followed soon enough as a quick tap penalty allowed Owen to bulldoze past two tackles and score, with Eden hitting the post with his drop goal attempt.
Former England Sevens man De Carpentier was leading by example as he crunched his man to win ball back while Eden showed great pace on the outside before chipping ahead.
A turnover in midfield saw the lively James Stephenson step one man and feed the alert Hodgson who arched a run over for a 12-0 half-time lead.
Worcester scored again less than a minute after the restart as replacement Max Stelling gobbled up a pass from De Carpentier and raced in for try number three. The Worcester skipper was next over the line as Warriors opened up a commanding 26-0 lead in some style.
Exeter replied with a long range effort from Tom Dowding and scores from Jack Arnott and Ollie Claxton, but it was no more than a consolation as Warriors ran out comfortable winners.
Game Two: Gloucester 19 Warriors 31
Two doubles from Max Stelling and James Stephenson saw Warriors secure local bragging rights as they stunned home club Gloucester Rugby with a 31-19 win to move a step closer to finals day.
Chapman produced a stunning early try saving tackle on Martyn Thomas, as he looked to run clear, before Stelling spotted a gap and tore over from halfway for the lead with Tiff Eden adding the extras.
Seconds later Stephenson leapt to take Eden’s high restart and was clean away to extend the lead further to 14-0.
The lively wing recruit from Bedford Blues was proving a real handful and grabbed his second of the night as he burst over down the left flank to leave Kingsholm shell-shocked as Warriors opened up a 19-0 half-time lead.
Worcester dominated the opening minute of the second half and Stelling showed his electric pace to grab his second of the night.
Billy Burns looked to spark a comeback as two slices of good fortune with kind bounces saw him capitalise to reduce the lead and Thomas added another seconds later as Gloucester trailed 24-12.
But George De Cothi added pace to the next Worcester attack and Chapman was over for deserved fifth try for Warriors, with Eden slotting the drop goal from out wide to end the game as a contest.
A late score from Drew Cheshire did little to change the outcome as Warriors made it two from two.
Game Three: Bath 14 Warriors 27
Worcester completed a hat-trick of wins as they edged out Bath Rugby 27-14 in the final clash of the night at Kingsholm.
Paul Hodgson opened the scoring after 16 seconds as he picked up a loose ball from the kick-off and raced down the blindside to score with Tiff Eden adding the extras.
Richard de Carpentier was almost over for another try, but he was held up as he collected a stray Bath pass close to the line.
Bath winger Anthony Watson showed his pace and power to level the scores on the night as he stepped out of a tackle.
Andrew Boyce forced a turnover and his good work was rewarded as De Carpentier broke into space for a second of the night.
But a long range try from Raymond Bishop gave Bath a slender 14-12 half-time lead.
Academy scrum half Tom Chapman showed a stunning turn of pace to leave two men in his wake and allow Warriors to retake the lead.
Eden grabbed the all-important fourth try to secure the vital bonus point that ensured Warriors would play at Finals Day at Bath before slotting a last minute penalty to wrap up an unbeaten night.