Saturday February 11 2017 is the date for today’s Throwback Thursday and a famous win for Warriors over reigning champions Saracens at Sixways secured by the accurate kicking of Ryan Mills.

Worcester Warriors 24-18 Saracens

Ryan Mills kicked all of Warriors’ points as they secured a crucial win over the defending Aviva Premiership Rugby champions at Sixways.

Mills’ 24 points haul was a record for a Warriors players in a Premiership match, surpassing the 23 that Shane Drahm scored against Sale Sharks at Sixways in February 2006. Mills’ eight penalties in the match were also a Warriors record.

The win moved Warriors five points ahead of Bristol Rugby at the bottom of the league table and was their first win over Saracens since November 2012.

Mills kicked eight of nine attempts at goal while tries for Chris Ashton and Schalk Brits got the tries for Saracens who also had Mike Ellery sent to the sin bin.

The Warriors fly-half missed a fourth minute penalty but found the target five minutes later to open the scoring.

Mills doubled the home side’s advantage after Saracens were penalised for not rolling away from the tackle.
Saracens were then reduced to 14 men when Ellery was punished for a late tackle on scrum-half Francois
Hougaard and Mills made it 9-0 with 27 minutes played.

Saracens were on the board before half-time as Ashton raced onto a through clever kick from Richard Wigglesworth.

Alex Lozowski added the extras but there was still time for Mills’ fourth penalty of the half and the home side went into the break with a 12-7 lead.

The Saracens fly-half had an opportunity to reduce the deficit four minutes into the second half but his kick from the tee drifted wide.

Mills added kicked his fifth successful penalty with half an hour still to play but Lozowski replied instantly after the Warriors were penalised for being ahead of the kicker.

Warriors stretched their lead to eight points with 57 minutes gone after earning a penalty at the lineout which was marched back ten metres by referee Tom Foley.

And with their growing confidence, Ryan Bower charged into the Saracens 22 forcing the visitors to infringe and Mills made them pay with his seventh penalty to make it 21-10.

Mills should have been over the tryline with 65 minutes played but he fumbled the ball after stepping through a hole in the Saracens defence.

The win was all but secured with nine minutes left to play as Saracens were penalised for having their hands on the floor and Mills kicked his eighth penalty of the afternoon.

Saracens fought back and had their second try just two minutes later as Brits touched the ball down from the back of a driving maul but Lozowski missed the conversion to leave the score 24-15.

Warriors’ Josh Adams was shown a late yellow card with Ben Spencer successfully slotting a late penalty to earn his side a losing bonus point.

Warriors | 15 Josh Adams, 14 Bryce Heem, 13 Wynand Olivier, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 Perry Humphreys, 10 Ryan Mills, 9 Francois Hougaard, 1 Ryan Bower, 2 Jack Singleton, 3 Nick Schonert, 4 Donncha O’Callaghan (C), 5 Will Spencer, 6 Chris Vui, 7 Sam Lewis, 8 Alafoti Faosiliva.

Replacements | 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 James Johnston, 18 Biyi Alo, 19 Tevita Cavubati, 20 Marco Mama, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Ryan Lamb, 23 Ben Howard.

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