Cavaliers buzzing for start of Premiership Rugby Shield

Coach Gordon Ross is relishing the prospect of Cavaliers getting their Premiership Rugby Challenge Shield campaign underway under the Sixways floodlights on Monday (kick-off 7.30pm).

Cavaliers pushed hard for a place in the semi-finals last season but have had to wait patiently for the new campaign to begin as the competition for Gallagher Premiership club A teams has been pushed back two months because of the Rugby World Cup.

Cavaliers are expected to include most of the Warriors side that impressed in the European Challenge Cup match against Enisei-STM in Russia last week along with Three Pears Warriors Academy players such as Morgan Monks, Callum Morris and Luke Scully.

“Our hope for this season is to see an improvement in performances from week to week from the players,” said former Scotland fly-half Ross.

“They have a fantastic opportunity to prove themselves in a very competitive Premiership Rugby Shield. As coaches we want to see the players perform well and get an opportunity at a higher level for Worcester Warriors and for the younger the players, if they perform well, they could get an opportunity at representative rugby.

“We want the players to go out and express themselves. We want them to make good decisions on the field and if they make mistakes they learn from it next time. At the same time we want to win rugby matches.

“All the Academy lads have worked extremely hard in training. A few of them won fitness tests pre-season and got well deserved opportunities in the Premiership Rugby Cup and also last week in Europe.

“We want the young lads to be playing rugby as often as possible. For the guys that train each week with the senior group and played last week they will only benefit from challenging themselves against the senior players and different opposition.

“All the Academy players not only enjoyed the game last week but are buzzing to play again Monday night and show how good they are individually but also as a group.

“The boys love playing at Sixways and hopefully Monday night they will turn up with the same attitude and skill level they have shown throughout the season. If they do that then hopefully the supporters that come out to watch will be proud of the performance.

“As coaches we have been really encouraged by what the boys have done so far. The challenge for the players is going to perform against very good opposition on Monday.”

Admission to Cavaliers home matches is free for Warriors Season Ticket Holders and Under-16s, £5 for everyone else.

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