Opposition view: 'Our supporters don't deserve this', says Worcester coach after crushing defeat to Saints

Worcester Warriors head coach Jonathan Thomas says his side's supporters 'don't deserve what they're seeing' after the home humiliation against Saints.
Jonathan ThomasJonathan Thomas
Jonathan Thomas

Warriors were thrashed 62-14 by Chris Boyd's rampant side at Sixways, with Ollie Sleightholme scoring four tries on Saturday afternoon.

It was a 12th successive Gallagher Premiership defeat for basement side Worcester, who have not won a league match since beating London Irish 11-10 in November.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And Thomas said: "It's incredibly frustrating and disappointing.

"We are going to have to own that performance. First half it's the same story that's happened over the last seven or eight weeks, lots of opportunities not taken.

"It's the best league in the world and if you don't take your chances then you get punished.

"We had a number of line-breaks opportunities that we didn't take and we have to get better at doing that or else it will keep costing you, no excuses.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Look at the stats for this competition and we lead for chances created without taking them so that has to change. I'm probably fed up of saying the same thing every week and the players are so disappointed with that because they're trying so hard to get better and the rewards aren't there at the moment for them.

"We had some adversity in the second half with the red card and then the yellow card, we capitulated, which again, no excuses with that.

"Even if you're down to 13 you still have to make your tackles and front up and we didn't do that.

"Our supporters don't deserve what they're seeing.

"What I would say is that it's a group in transition, we have around 20 players leaving the club at the end of this season, we have to really play now for some pride and respect for each other and for our supporters for the rest of the season because all of us deserve better than that."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Worcester had plenty of chances during the first half against Saints, but Sleightholme scored on the stroke of half-time to make it 15-7 to the away side and they pulled away quickly in the second period.

A red card for Chris Ashton, who had scored during the first half, didn't help the Warriors' cause.

"In every game in that last seven or eight weeks, we've had games where we should have won," Thomas said.

"The narrative is the same all the time, we have exposed young players but in a lot of those games are performances have been good but accuracy hasn't.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

" I said to the boys that you need to stick together now because you cant review a performance like that with emotion because there's a lot of it involved. We will review it as a group but also make sure we play for some pride and respect for the rest of this season.

"But this simply wasn't acceptable.

"In the second half it was just a mess to be honest.

"We got the red card and capitulated and then you're trying to play catch up, you lose your structure and it gets messy.

"These players will have their down week next week and then we will come back and train hard ready for Quins."