Head Coach Jonathan Thomas spoke to the media today ahead of Friday’s European Challenge Cup match at Newcastle Falcons.
Here’s what Jonathan had to say:
On the win against Wasps
- I wasn’t aware until after the match that it was our first win against Wasps in the competition since 2013 which just shows what a good team Wasps have been during that time.
- The biggest thing is focusing on the momentum and upward curve that we are on.
- There is still growth in our game and it was tighter than we wanted it to be at the end. Credit to Wasps for showing character to come back as they did but we also needed to show character ourselves to see the game out. I was really pleased with the five points.
Was that a game that you might have lost last season?
- There’s a saying that you never lose you either win or you learn.
- We have experienced a lot of fine margin games over the last year and as a player and as a team, when you go through those experiences you learn from them.
- There have been plenty of times when we have lost those tight games but from those experiences you start to develop some resilience and composure in tight situations.
- That’s two games now – the draw at Newcastle being the other – where we have shown that resilience and character.
How important was the Wasps win given that you don’t play at home again the Premiership until January 29?
- It was very important. It has taken us to 19 points and tenth in the table, nine points behind Gloucester in sixth.
- Our goal is to be a top six team in the long term and we are in touching distance of that.
- We have two games on the road next but it’s important that we are a tough team to beat and, more important, that we win our home games which we have done in our last three.
- It’s good momentum. I believe it’s the strongest league that there has been in terms of the quality and depth of each squad from top to bottom, there are no gimmes so you have to really embrace your victories.
On the European Challenge Cup
- If you want to be a top player and a top six team you have to get used to playing every week and having a mindset where you go, you go, you go.
- If you are a Champions Cup team you are going from the Premiership and having to raise the bar and your standards to take on the likes of Toulouse and Clermont.
- An international player is used to playing tough games and having the durability and mindset to do that before going into international competition.
- If we have the vision to being a top six Premiership club in the future and playing in the Champions Cup we have to get used to backing up performances and backing up results.
- We can’t have the mindset that: it’s the Challenge Cup so we will have a down week. That’s not how top players and top teams operate.
- We definitely want to go into this competition with the mindset to keep the positive momentum from the last few weeks going.
- We will certainly be taking this competition seriously.
Does the fact that you drew at Newcastle only two weeks ago give you confidence?
- You have reference points in life – some good, some bad. The bad ones are sometimes the ones that you learn from the most.
- But the game two weeks ago was certainly a positive reference point for us. We dealt with the adversity and got two points.
- Given the circumstances – the postponement and the weather conditions on the Saturday evening – we could have used every excuse under the sun for losing.
- Hopefully we won’t have the same circumstances this weekend but we showed real resilience and character to cope with adversity.
- There’s possibly a bit of reverse psychology now. It’s important that you press re-set each week and make sure that you earn the right to win.
- You don’t fall into the trap of saying: we did all right there last time so it will naturally happen.
- What we did there last time is a positive reference point. But we have to press re-set and make sure that we earn the right to win the game.
Can Warriors win the Challenge Cup?
- We want to leave a legacy at this club. It goes all the way back to Cecil Duckworth when he first set out on the journey.
- He wanted to leave memories, for us to be a top six club, to win stuff and to inspire the people of Worcestershire and our patch.
- That has always been the objective of the club. All we are as current staff is custodians of the club and we want to leave a legacy.
- I want to leave my position in a better place than I found it and that should be the goal for every player and every member of staff.
- What does inspire people and leaves a positive legacy is being successful and winning. You have to be bold with your ambitions and your goals.
- Why can’t this club win something? There’s no reason why it can’t.
- That comes with having a one game at a time mind set and pressing re-set every week.
- The Premiership is always the priority but we want to be bold and we want to be competitive in this competition.
- If you get out of the group you are into finals rugby and then anything can happen.
- We believe we have a talented enough squad to win big games on the day.
- But we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. It’s about Newcastle this weekend and that is our immediate focus.
Injuries
- Ashley Beck tweaked a groin muscle against Wasps and is a doubt for Friday.
- Rory Sutherland sustained a dead leg against Wasps but we think he could be OK.
- Gareth Simpson took another bang to the ribs against Wasps so he is a doubt this weekend.
- Matt Garvey failed a head injury assessment on Saturday and it is touch-and-go whether he will be fit this weekend.
- Ollie Lawrence has a little hamstring tweak so we will assess him later in the week.