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'We had to tell them a few home truths at the interval': Worcester handed half-time serve following 40-nil start

By PA
Will Muir (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Worcester head coach Jonathan Thomas was bitterly disappointed with his side’s first-half performance which saw them trail 40-0 before rallying to gain some respectability in a 47-22 defeat by Bath at the Rec.

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Bath took full advantage to win their fifth game in their last six Premiership starts. Will Muir and Tom Dunn each scored two tries, with Zach Mercer, Ben Spencer and Max Clark also on the try-scoring sheet, while Rhys Priestland added five conversions and Orlando Bailey one.

Joe Batley and Perry Humphreys scored two tries for Worcester, with Ethan Waller and Joe Batley also crossing and Fin Smith adding a conversion.

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Former British and Irish Lion and World Cup winner Neil Back joins Christina, Dylan Hartley and Ryan Wilson this week to review all the Six Nations action and also take a trip down memory lane

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Former British and Irish Lion and World Cup winner Neil Back joins Christina, Dylan Hartley and Ryan Wilson this week to review all the Six Nations action and also take a trip down memory lane

“Our first-half performance wasn’t acceptable and I was really disappointed by it,” said Thomas.

“We picked the players for a reason but you can’t afford to feel yourselves into a Premiership match and we had to tell them a few home truths at the interval.

“We challenged the boys at half-time to try and secure a bonus point so I’m really proud of the boys that they were able to do that.”

Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper was pleased with the expansive game that his side had produced in the first half.

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He said: “We trained hard in the week so we knew we had plenty in the tank and therefore we wanted to move the ball and create space.

“Will Muir scored two excellent tries early on as the ball went wide as we know we have some dangerous backs if we can get them some space.

“It was a different type of game to our win at Newcastle last week as then we produced a successful forward platform. That’s the blend of rugby I think you need to take to win games in the Premiership.”

Bath were disrupted by injuries to their backs which affected their second-half performance.

Hooper said: “Will (Muir) failed an HIA so he won’t be absent for long but Rhys (Priestland) and Tom (De Glanville) have leg injuries so we will need to have them assessed.

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“However I think we should have been able to deal with that better as we need to be able to ride out those bumps and remain in control.

“Over 80 minutes we still have a bit to do in respect of decision making so it will be an interesting review this week.”

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J
JW 21 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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