Worcester Warriors 31 Richmond 19

Richmond’s trip to Worcester always looked likely to be the toughest game in the first half of the season. So, it proved, and it was to the team’s great credit that they fought all the way and were far from flattered by the eventual scoreline.

Richmond remain in twelfth position, whilst the Warriors, who are unbeaten at home, remain second, having completed a run of five successive victories.

Worcester have been parachuted back into the Championship after falling into administration in 2022. Opinion has been divided as to the consistency of that decision but there is no denying that their Sixways ground is impressive and that they have retained a large and loyal following.

A crowd of 6,200 attended this game, with Worcester making full use of their large full time squad to make eight rotations from the previous week. Their line up included seasoned Premiership players like Fraser Balmain (Gloucester), Matt Kvesic (Exeter) and Billy Twelvetrees (Leicester).

Richmond gave a league debut to Seb Brownhill in the front row, whilst Luke Frost replaced the injured George Nugent at lock. In the backs, Lima Savaiinaea returned in the centre, with James Langston on the bench. Two late changes saw Callum Torpey and Freddie Charles replace Will Goffey and Alex Schwarz.

On a bright and still afternoon, Richmond largely dominated the opening quarter. The Warriors looked dangerous when they spread the ball wide, but Richmond defended well. After thirteen minutes, Richmond suffered a blow with Luke Frost hobbling off to be replaced by Miles Wakeling, who did an excellent job standing in at lock.

After fifteen minutes, Richmond took the lead. Lima Savaiinaea took a crash ball on the edge of the 22 and drew in sufficient defenders to disrupt the home defence. Skipper Luc Jones, who had an excellent game, took a smart diagonal line to touch down to the right of the posts. The conversion was missed.

Worcester have a record of starting slowly and certainly raised their game in the second quarter. Two penalties in quick succession set them up in the Richmond 22. Richmond did well to hold the line out drive and seemed to have cleared the immediate danger, when Jones booted the ball clear to halfway.

However, Worcester quickly ran the ball back, setting scrum half Will Lane running clear and deep into the 22. He was well tackled by Callum Grieve but the Warriors kept the ball alive and, with Richmond struggling to get back across, Will Reed just found the momentum to dive in at the corner. Tiff Eden added an excellent conversion.

In the next ten minutes, Worcester scored twice more as they appeared to take a tight control of the game. South African flanker Thabo Ndimande made a good break, which was stopped by skipper Jones with a tap tackle.
However, the outstanding Tim Anstee was in good support and had the power to break two tackles and dive over. Tiff Eden added the second conversion.

The Warriors were now in full flow and clearly adding more pace to their game. Richmond conceded two successive penalties and each time Worcester tapped and were away. Scrum half Reed led the way before the ball was moved to the wide left where ex Harlequin winger Roma Zheng got the touchdown. Yet again fly half Eden added the conversion for a 21-5 lead. It was beginning to look a bit ominous.

However, Richmond worked an opportunity for themselves, claiming a five metre line out after the Warriors were pinged for obstruction. Frustratingly, the line out throw just brushed Jake Monson’s outstretched fingers and the Warriors were able to escape.

At the other end, Worcester had their own five metre line out, but Richmond worked hard to hold them out. A flurry of handbags resulted in a warning for both captains and a whistle for half time.

Richmond needed further reorganisation for the second half as an injured Sam Dardis had to be replaced by Archie Brosch. The substitute was straight into action, doing well to claim a steepling box kick from Lane. Monson was almost away in the next action but was called back for a penalty.

From the penalty, Eden kicked well to the corner to set his pack up about eight metres short. When the ball was moved back inside, new boy Tom Hendrickson, just signed from Exeter Chiefs, powered forward, supported by skipper Kvesic. The No 8 slipped a neat pass to Jasper Spandler, and the hooker duly ran in Worcester’s bonus point try.

Richmond now faced a tough twenty-one point deficit. But after forty-seven minutes, Richmond cut that lead with their second try. An off the ball shove drew a penalty and Richmond kicked for the corner. Worcester staunchly defended their line but when the ball reached Lewis Dennett on the far left, some clever footwork allowed the fly half to stay on his feet and get the touchdown. Grieve added a good conversion.

A few minutes later, Richmond were very close again, the excellent Jake Monson breaking down the touchline before offloading to Miles Wakeling, who was stopped just short of the line. Referee Charlie Gayther consulted before awarding a penalty to a grateful and perhaps fortunate Worcester.

Up front, the Richmond scrum were doing well to share honours in the tight and the defensive tackling, with Ethen Bernson to the fore, allowed the Warriors little opportunity to build a sustained attack. When Grieve was tackled in the air, Richmond may have expected rather more than the penalty awarded.

Worcester looked lively in the backs and had real pace on the wings. Jones played a captain’s part when he ran back thirty metres or so to outpace Jake Garside and clear the danger. Meanwhile, Xavier Hastings was prominent everywhere and Chidera Obonna worked hard on the wing.

After sixty-five minutes, Worcester had several chances to drive over from short range, but Richmond battled with great heart to hold out. After one long period of play close to the try line, Richmond finally turned over possession close to the posts, and Sam Pim hoofed the ball clear into space.

Brosch duly pursued the ball but ex Bath winger James Short just got there first. Short then showed his talent, wrongfooting two defenders as he turned sharply and then running twenty metres to touch down on the wide left.

31-12 was certainly a harsh scoreline, but Richmond set to the challenge. Grieve was unlucky when a long kick narrowly missed a touch, deep in the 22. However, James Langston provided some hope when he intercepted a midfield Worcester pass and ran in from thirty-five metres. Richmond had six minutes to score a fourth try and gain two precious league points. They could not quite do it but the fact that they nearly did, underlines how well they played.

Rob Powell commented afterwards: ‘It was an outstanding team effort. We were proud of the commitment shown against a top full time team near the top of the league. But we came away with no points and I don’t want to be negative, but we need to start converting good performances into league points’.

Team: C. Grieve, S.Dardis, R. Du Randt, T.Savaiinaea, C.Obonna, L.Dennett, L.Jones, C.Freeman, H.Hocking, L. Spring, J. Monson, L.Frost, T.Benson, X.Hastings, S. Pim
Subs: C.Torpey, S.Brownhill, J. Litchfield, M.Wakeling, D.Byrne, F.Charles, J.Langston, A.Brosch

Tries: Jones, Dennett, Langston
Conversions: Grieve (2)