REPORT | Warriors U18 12-55 Wasps U18

Warriors Under 18s began their Premiership Rugby Under 18 Academy league season with a disappointing 55-12 loss to Wasps at Sixways on Saturday afternoon.

Wasps crossed the tryline nine times in all, going into the break 24-0 up before running away with the contest in the second-half despite scores for Warriors’ Tom Fawcett and Charlie Gamble.

The young Warriors had started well with the forwards carrying hard and creating quick-ball allowing playmaker Louis Jackson to find space in behind the Wasps defence but mistakes with ball in hand shifted over the momentum.

Wasps’ first try came from a succession of penalties that saw the visitors kick to the corner before impressive number eight Alfred Mawdsley drove over.

Whilst Warriors were able to work some good early field position, they were unable to convert this into points and Wasps punished them when Tom Bacon raced over from 40 metres out, as the visitors had scored on both visits to the Worcester 22 in the first quarter of an hour.

Soon after, more Warriors penalties gave Wasps the chance to kick to the corner and Alfie Barbeary crashed over and some neat handling work out wide allowed back row Silas Pill to dive over, making it 24-0 at the break.

Warriors’ set-piece was strong throughout the afternoon, particularly the scrum but they conceded again after a sharp backs move led to Bacon crossing for the second time.

Coach Gordon Ross emptied the bench and some extra energy and intent gave Warriors quick-ball and Fawcett sprinted over from the 22 for Worcester’s first try and replacement Josh Phipps added the extras.

Despite more Worcester pressure, signs of a comeback were short lived as Taju Atta pounced on a loose ball before some neat footballing skills saw him touch down.

Aaron O’Sullivan and replacement Sean Robinson then scored from turnovers as Warriors were made to further pay for their mistakes.

With Warriors rallying towards the end, the game became loose and the hosts produced a great counter with impressive replacement Tom Matthews breaking down the right-hand side and Gamble finished in the corner with the final play.

Warriors will be wondering what might have been had they not allowed Wasps to dominate the ball early on and discipline and precision in attack will be the focus when the Under 18s travel to Northampton Saints on Saturday 6 January.

Timeline
08m | Mawdsley try 0-5
08m | Pietersen con 0-7
15m | Bacon try 0-12
22m | Barbeary try 0-17
27m | Pill try 0-22
28m | Bacon con 0-24
38m | O’Sullivan try 0-29
39m | Bacon con 0-31
42m | Bacon try 0-36
45m | Fawcett try 5-36
45m | Phipps con 7-36
50m | Atta try 7-41
51m | Bacon con 7-43
53m | O’Sullivan try 7-48
54m | Bacon con 7-50
64m | Robinson try 7-55
70m | Gamble try 12-55

Warriors | 15 Jake Leonard, 14 Charlie Gamble, 13 Paul Wells, 12 Callum Bobath, 11 Dan Ward, 10 Louis Jackson, 9 Tom Williams; 1 Lewis Holsey, 2 Jamie White, 3 Max Baggs, 4 Owien Harriott-Davis, 5 Tom Berry, 6 George Bates, 7 Oli Thorneywork, 8 Tom Fawcett.

Replacements | 16 Aaron Layton, 17 Tom Furnival, 18 Lewis Ballinger, 19 Morgan French, 20 Ben Turner, 21 Tom Matthews, 22 Josh Phipps, 23 Jed Corbett