Head Coach Jonathan Thomas spoke to the media today ahead of Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership match against Northampton Saints at Sixways (kick-off 3.00pm).
Here’s what Jonathan had to say:
On the performance at Bath
- We let ourselves in the first 40 minutes, Yes, we picked a young side and gave opportunities to players in key positions.
- But we picked a side that we thought could go there and win and we trained and prepared to do that. But to win Premiership matches you need to front up physically and emotionally.
- At half-time we set them a target of scoring four tries in the second half and getting a bonus point we were pleased with the way the players responded and achieved that.
On Fin Smith’s first Premiership start
- Fin was one of a number of players in the side who haven’t played a huge amount of Premiership rugby and they will have learned a lot from Saturday.
- Just before the first lockdown Fin was playing for our Under-18s side. He hasn’t played for the Cavaliers yet so, understandably, he said that the Bath match was the most physical game he has played.
- But he said that he found that some things that he does well, and has always done well, will work at this level.
- Fin had a difficult first half and the easiest thing for us would have been to bring him off early in the second half and bring on Billy Searle.
- But Fin really grew into the game, some of his passing and his tactical play in the second half were really good.
- As a ten you have to be a leader on the field and not to be afraid to order big, ugly forwards around and Fin did that well on Saturday when it would have been easy for him to have gone into his shell.
Will Ollie Lawrence be available this weekend?
- Ollie is back training with us today.
- He’s probably not had as much game time as he would have liked during the Six Nations but we are very proud that, as a Worcester boy, he has been representing England.
- All the indications are that he will be involved for us at the weekend.
Injuries
- Conor Carey looks like he will be out for the season because of the bicep injury he suffered at London Irish two weeks ago. We have extended Maks van Dyk’s loan spell for a further week.
- Nick David took a knock at Bath and we will assess him later this week to see whether he is going to be available at the weekend.