Wasps Under 18s’ strength in the final stages proved telling as they defeated Warriors Under 18s 28-17 in their opening match of the Premiership Rugby Under 18 Academy League at Tilsley Park.
Wasps’ Tom Willis was able to capitalise from a penalty at the scrum to drive over the line for the opening score of the game but Warriors quickly replied with a penalty try following forceful forward play in the corner.
James Scott was then on hand to crash over the line to give the visitors the lead but the game swung again shortly after when Wasps scrum-half Alex Crocker scored on the half-hour mark.
A seemingly quieter second-half was brought to life when quick-fire Wasps tries from Sam Spink and Ehize Ehizode opened up a 16-point advantage over the tiring Warriors.
Warriors captain Ted Hill fought back with a try in the closing moments but the home side were able to see out the victory.
A cagey opening to the match saw both sides concede multiple penalties and scrums as they tried to get a foothold and take control in very foggy conditions.
Wasps threatened first with good ball movement from right to left, but a Will Simonds knock-on with a numerical advantage on the wing gave the visitors a brief reprieve.
Warriors conceded a penalty from the following scrum and the first try of the match followed.
Scrum-half Crocker took the penalty quickly and after three good tackles on the tryline, Warriors' resilience was finally broken when Willis was able to bundle over the line and Jacob Umaga converted.
That lead did not last long as Chim Gale's side grabbed their opening try after Alex Forrester's kick to the corner and a successful lineout drive which forced a penalty try
George Wooten converted from under the posts but was soon withdrawn following a head injury.
The visitors then began to take control of the contest with good work at lineouts and rucks allowing the forwards to dictate play.
And it was lock Scott that was able to drive over the line to give Warriors the lead for the first time in the match.
The second Warriors try seemed to spark Wasps back into life and they were able to apply a period of persistent pressure – but the visitors showed great resilience in defence.
Wasps’ attacks proved too much though and Crocker was able to cross the line and Umaga's conversion turned the match back in the home side's favour.
The opening to the second-half was much like the first, with both sides struggling for fluidity at scrums and continuous turnovers at the breakdown.
A sudden Wasps break needed a terrific last-ditch tackle with Warriors’ Charlie Jevon-Fellows managing to chase a breakaway down the right to stop a certain try just before the line.
Warriors skipper Hill was leading by example for the visitors, consistently breaking tackles in possession and making good gains in the Wasps half.
But it was Wasps who would get the crucial try to increase their lead, with the defence of Warriors breached in the middle of the pitch, allowing Spink to score in the corner.
Umaga converted well from out wide to increase the gap to nine points with ten minutes remaining.
Wasps looked to have more in reserve as Warriors began to tire late on, and Ehizode’s try late in the second-half put the victory beyond any doubt when he scored from the left, with Umaga's clinical boot adding the extras.
Worcester were not finished and mustered another good attack before the final whistle, with Hill scoring off the back of another emphatic drive.
Warriors will be looking to bounce back against Leicester Tigers Under 18s next Saturday 7 January at Sixways.
Timeline
07m | Willis try 5-0
08m | Umaga con 7-0
14m | Penalty try 7-5
15m | Wooten con 7-7
20m | Scott try 7-12
28m | Crocker try 12-12
29m | Umaga con 14-12
68m | Spink try 19-12
69m | Umaga con 21-12
74m | Ehizode try 26-12
75m | Umaga con 28-12
77m | Hill try 28-17
Warriors | 15 Nick David, 14 Alex Bartley, 13 Dion King, 12 Navarre Haisala, 11 Christophe Fostier, 10 Alex Forrester (Jackson 62), 9 George Wooten (Hawkes 15); 1 Freddie Hemmingway (Sutton 40), 2 Beck Cutting, 3 Nick Rigby (Owen 40), 4 Lawrence Weston, 5 James Scott, 6 Ollie Richardson, 7 Charlie Jevons-Fellows, 8 Ted Hill (C)
Replacements | 16 George Radburn, 17 Max Baggs, 18 Kai Owen, 19 Will Sutton,
20 George Hawkes, 21 Louis Jackson, 22 Jake Leonard, 23 Alex Haselock