Warriors Academy Manager Mark Hewitt insists his young Under 23 side picked up ‘valuable’ experience on Monday night despite slipping to a 35-13 defeat to Sale Sharks at Heywood Road.
Warriors keenly contested the match in the first-half and went in behind at just 14-10 thanks to Clayton Dee’s try and a penalty and conversion from the boot of Jamie Shilcock.
Some second-half errors cost Warriors the game as Sale ran out comfortable winners, but Hewitt was pleased with the efforts of his youthful side.
He said: “The scoreline didn’t reflect how competitive we were. We had a very young team against a more senior group of players and we competed very well especially in the first-half.
“In the second-period a few errors in our game cost us. We struggled to defend their drive which they got a penalty try out of and also they capitalised from two mistakes.
“We finished the game off with virtually an Under 18 backline with guys like Will Butler and Jamie Shilcock really putting in good performances.
“It was a really positive night in which some of the boys picked up some valuable experience.”
Academy Forwards Development Coach Ceri Jones added: “Jack Cosgrove had a great game and Andrew Kitchener really came of age calling the lineouts.
“For a lot of the boys it was an opportunity to perform at a higher level and guys like Huw Taylor and Cosgrove led really well.
“The next generation of Warriors players are looking really good.”
The youngsters will get more opportunities with a couple of Worcester Cavaliers fixtures coming up, starting with a clash against The Navy at Sixways on Wednesday 25 March.
They will then take on Russian side Krasny Yar at Hartpury College on Saturday 11 April.