Warriors fall to defeat against Hartpury

Worcester Warriors took two losing bonus points from their first game of the second half of the season, falling to a 34-28 defeat to Hartpury at Sixways.

Warriors went ahead early in the first-half but the visitors crossed for four quick tries to set themselves on the way to victory.

Worcester fought back, narrowing the gap both before half-time and after the break, but two second-half penalties from Harry Bazalgette secured Hartpury’s win.

The game's opening score came just seven minutes into the game with Warriors hooker Austin Wallis burrowing through the gap in the Hartpury defence from a tap penalty, securing a dream start for the home crowd.

Momentum soon swung in favour of the visitors as Ollie Holliday crossed out wide after the ball was moved sharply from Bazalgette after the Hartpury forward pack built up the pressure.

The lead was quickly doubled when Jarrad Hayler finished well after Ollie Allsopp broke through the Warriors’ defence and delivered the pop pass.

Just before the half-hour mark, Hartpury extended their advantage, Holliday grabbing his second as the ball was once again spread wide, with Oscar Lennon and Bazalgette capitalising on penalty advantage.

The bonus point followed five minutes later when Steele Barker sniped through a gap at the ruck before providing the final pass for Peter Paramore who strolled over.

Hallam Chapman started the Warriors' comeback just before half-time, powering over from close range.

Bazalgette knocked over his first of two penalties on the fifty-minute mark, further extending his side's lead.

Fraser Balmain and Livai Natave’s introduction gave the Warriors a strong platform at scrum-time and also valuable field position, which was rewarded when Chapman grabbed a second-try, once again powering over the line from a short distance.

And the gap was narrowed once more, with the Warriors coming back to within three points when Thabo Ndimande was on the end of a motoring driving maul for his side's bonus-point score.

The Warriors continued to fight to take the lead, pushing the Hartpury defence but in the final stages, a second Bazalgette penalty secured the win for the visitors.

Warriors 28

T – Austin Wallis 7’, Hallam Chapman 36’, 52’, Thabo Ndimande 65’

C – Will Reed 7’, 36’, 52’, Tiff Eden 65’

Hartpury 34

T – Ollie Holliday 17’, 25’, Jarrard Hayler 21’, Peter Paramore 32’

C – Harry Bazalgette 17’, 21’, 25’, 32’

P – Harry Bazalgette 48’, 79’

Warriors Team

15 Will Trewin, 14 Jake Garside, 13 Tom Hendrickson, 12 Rory Taylor (Siva Naulago 52’), 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Will Reed (Tiff Eden 60’), 9 Lloyd Williams; 1 Billy Keast (Livai Natave 52’), 2 Austin Wallis, 3 Tim Hoyt (Fraser Balmain 45’), 4 Hallam Chapman, 5 Obinna Nkwocha (James Tyas 52’), 6 Tim Anstee, 7 Matt Kvesic ©, 8 Khalik Kareem (Thabo Ndimande 52’)

Unused: 16 Archie Vanes, 21 Will Lane

Hartpury Team

15 Isaac Marsh, 14 Haydn Lewis (Brad Denty 35’), 13 Robbie Smith, 12 Ollie Allsopp, 11 Ollie Holliday (Max Knight 40’), 10 Harry Bazalgette, 9 Oscar Lennon; 1 Harrison Bellamy (Louie Trevette 52’), 2 Ethan Hunt, 3 Jono Benz-Salomon (Alex Gibson 4’), 4 Steele Barker, 5 Jack Davies © (Tom Worts 70’), 6 Peter Paramore (Dale Lemon 64’), 7 Harry Short, 8 Jarrard Hayler

Unused: 16 Casey Williams, 21 Sam Allford