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The '''Worcester Rugby Football Club''' are an English [[rugby union]] club. The club's first team are members of the [[RFU Championship]], after being relegated from the [[Aviva Premiership]], and use the nickname '''Warriors'''. They also compete in the [[British and Irish Cup]] and [[Aviva A League]]. They previously competed in the [[Anglo-Welsh Cup]] and the [[European Rugby Cup]] competitions. The club's kit is made by sports manufacturer [[Cotton Traders]] and they are sponsored by [[Worcester Bosch Group|Worcester Bosch]]. Their home stadium is the [[Sixways Stadium]], and the team colours are blue and gold. Their nearest premiership rivals are [[Gloucester Rugby|Gloucester]] rugby club.
The '''Worcester Rugby Football Club''' are an English [[rugby union]] club. The club's first team are members of the [[RFU Championship]], after being relegated from the [[Aviva Premiership]], and use the nickname '''Warriors'''. They also compete in the [[British and Irish Cup]] and [[Aviva A League]]. They previously competed in the [[Anglo-Welsh Cup]] and the [[European Rugby Cup]] competitions. The club's kit is made by sports manufacturer [[Cotton Traders]] and they are sponsored by [[Worcester Bosch Group|Worcester Bosch]] and [http://www.fragrancemad.com/ Fragrance Mad]<ref>{{cite news |title=Warriors Club Sponsors |url=http://www.warriors.co.uk/sponsorship/sponsors.php|publisher=Warriors.co.uk|accessdate=2011-02-11}}</ref>. Their home stadium is the [[Sixways Stadium]], and the team colours are blue and gold. Their nearest premiership rivals are [[Gloucester Rugby|Gloucester]] rugby club.


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 09:20, 10 February 2011

Worcester Rugby
File:Worcester warriors badge 2008.png
Full nameWorcester Rugby Football Club
Founded1871
LocationWorcester, England
Ground(s)Sixways Stadium (Capacity: 12,068 [1])
ChairmanEngland Cecil Duckworth OBE [2]
Coach(es)England Richard Hill
Captain(s)England Chris Pennell
Most capsEngland Craig Gillies (223+)
Top scorerAustralia Shane Drahm (726)
Most triesEngland Nick Baxter (88) [3]
League(s)The Championship
2009–1012th (relegated)
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
www.warriors.co.uk

The Worcester Rugby Football Club are an English rugby union club. The club's first team are members of the RFU Championship, after being relegated from the Aviva Premiership, and use the nickname Warriors. They also compete in the British and Irish Cup and Aviva A League. They previously competed in the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the European Rugby Cup competitions. The club's kit is made by sports manufacturer Cotton Traders and they are sponsored by Worcester Bosch and Fragrance Mad[4]. Their home stadium is the Sixways Stadium, and the team colours are blue and gold. Their nearest premiership rivals are Gloucester rugby club.

History

Foundation

The club was founded in 1871 by the Reverend Francis John Ede, with the first known game played against the Artillery on November 8, 1871. The club began playing at Bevere in Worcester in 1954 and left Bevere for Sixways in 1975 when the clubhouse was opened. When the league system was formed, the club was placed in North Midlands Division One, a level eight league.

Support

Due to extensive support from their backer Cecil Duckworth, the club were able to build a strong team and promotion after promotion followed. In 2006, extremely ambitious plans were announced for a £23 million development programme, which would see a health club with fitness centre and swimming pool, fully tarmaced park and ride area, and expanded capacity, estimated to be 13,000.

Promotion to the Premiership

Worcester Warriors were promoted to the (then Zurich) Premiership after winning National Division One in 2003–2004 with a perfect record of 26 wins from 26 games, something that had never before been achieved. They were the bookies', and many of the rugby pundits' odds-on-favourites to go straight back down but defied the odds to stay in the Premiership for another season, finishing ninth in the league, after wins against teams including Harlequins, Leeds, a historic victory against Premiership Champions London Wasps and Northampton in a 'winner takes all' end of season finale, which they won 21–19. This match was shown live with more twists and turns off the pitch as well as on it, with then Northampton player, Shane Drahm, who had signed for Worcester eventually starting, and successfully kicking almost everything, after press releases by Northampton stating that he would be a substitute. In the 2004–2005 season, despite Premiership survival being their ultimate aim, they reached the final of the defunct European Shield at Oxford's Kassam Stadium, after beating Leeds Tykes in the semi-final. They eventually lost out to the French side Auch. They also managed to achieve a play-off match for the Heineken Cup against Saracens, but their long fight for Premiership survival and an injury-ravaged squad meant that they lost. Their achievements for that season meant that they had achieved much more than they had originally hoped for, as well as earning the respect of the other Premiership sides in the process.

In the 2005–2006 season, they reached the quarter – finals of the European Challenge Cup after finishing top of their pool with five wins out of a possible six, above Connacht, Montpellier Herault and Amatori Catania, and faced an away match against Northampton Saints on April Fool's Day, which they won, in what was described by sports writers as some of the best rugby they have played all season. They reached the semi – finals where they faced Gloucester Rugby in a local derby showdown, with it being the third time they had played Gloucester that season, with the European match being played the week after the Premiership match at Kingsholm. Despite playing some thrilling rugby, and looking much more solid as a team than the previous week's Premiership performance, they were knocked out of the competition. The European Challenge Cup is now a much more important competition to Worcester as it offers them a route into the Heineken Cup, which is the next stage in the club's development, and with the 2006–2007 season being their third season in the Premiership, something that is now a very realistic goal.

The badge used by Worcester Warriors until 2008.

In the 2005-06 Guinness Premiership, they avoided relegation and were safe much earlier in the season, which meant that they avoided a repeat of last years relegation battle on the last day of the season. This was a huge achievement considering that this is still only their second season in rugby's top flight. They have again re – written the history books, by chalking up a very special 15–11 victory against the Leicester Tigers and a 37–8 victory against London Wasps, along with victories against Saracens, London Irish, Northampton Saints, Leeds Tykes, Bristol Rugby and a first day of the season draw against Gloucester Rugby, and getting their first points (a try bonus point and a losing bonus point) against Bath. During the match against Newcastle Falcons at Sixways, the club made history as twins Lee Fortey and Chris Fortey made history as the first twins to ever play on the same team in a Premiership match. The season culminated in an eighth place finish in the league on 47 points, one place higher than 2004–2005, with the same amount of wins (9) but more bonus points and a draw, missing 7th position due to Newcastle Falcons having a better points difference, secured on the last day of the season.

In the 2006–07 season Worcester didn't get off to a very good start and for the majority of the season they were positioned in 12th place, but a good run of form which involved beating some of the top sides in the Premiership helped them to avoid relegation and send the former Heineken Cup champion Northampton Saints down into National Division One.

Established in the Premiership

For the 2007–08 season Worcester had brought in several big name players, the most well know being the All Black Rico Gear. But they again didn't start off very well in the premiership and did not record their first victory until after Christmas. While they were struggling in the premiership they were enjoying good success in the European Challenge Cup, progressing through the group stages. After Christmas their premiership formed picked up and they beat top teams such as Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks, which subsequently saw them move out of the relegation zone, Leeds Carnegie replacing them. They progressed even further in the ECC and beat off Montpellier Hérault RC in the quarter-final and saw off Newcastle Falcons in the semi-final which set up a final against Bath. Leeds Carnegie could not survive relegation and were relegated well before the end of the season. The final against Bath resulted in a 24–16 defeat in a one-sided game.[5]

In 2008 Worcester pulled off one of their largest signings ever by signing Australian international Chris Latham from the Queensland Reds, for the 2008–09 season on a 3 year deal.[6] He is regarded as the greatest Reds player as well as the best Wallabies fullback. The season again didn't go the way planned but Worcester still progressed in the ECC and pulled off a home and away victories over local rivals Gloucester and London Wasps in the league. However the season ended disappointingly (after Worcester suffered a succession of serious injuries), losing in the semi-final of the European Challenge Cup to Bourgoin.

Relegation from the Premiership

After the disappointment of the 2008-09 Guinness Premiership season, the Warriors made a bright start to the 2009-10 Guinness Premiership season. A 20–17 loss at Northampton Saints was considered unlucky, especially as the Warriors had been 17–0 ahead at one point. But either side of a loss to Wasps, they had convincing wins over newly promoted Leeds Carnegie and over Sale Sharks, only their second home win over Sale since they joined the top flight in 2004–2005, which was then followed by an unlucky loss at champions Leicester Tigers. But then things started to go horribly wrong for the team, as 10 games without a win followed. During the winless spell, the club did become the first Premiership team to draw four games in a season and the first team to draw three successive league games. Following this bad spell, the Warriors secured a much needed 13–0 victory over Newcastle at Sixways, before another six consecutive losses. On 25 April, the Warriors were relegated from the Premiership after a 12–10 loss away to Leeds Carnegie, their first relegation in 22 years. They will play in the Championship in the 2010–11 season. On the 28th of April, Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock resigned from his post with immediate effect and was replaced until the end of the season by Andrew Stanley, the Worcester Academy Team Manager. Richard Hill was then announced as the new Head Coach, on a 2-year contract and Chris Pennell was announced as the new captain.

Current Standings

Template:2010-11 RFU Championship Table

Top try scorers

Player Tries
England Marcel Garvey 13
England Miles Benjamin 12
England Tom Arscott 9
England Andy Goode 7
England Pat Sanderson 7
Tonga Aleki Lutui 6

Current squad

[7] Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Chris Fortey Hooker England England
Aleki Lutui Hooker Tonga Tonga
Ed Shervington Hooker Wales Wales
Adam Black Prop England England
Callum Black Prop Ireland Ireland
Bruce Douglas Prop Scotland Scotland
Matt Mullan (Injured) Prop England England
Tevita Taumoepeau Prop Tonga Tonga
Oliver Tomaszczyk Prop England England
Will Bowley Lock England England
Craig Gillies Lock England England
Graham Kitchener Lock England England
Greg Rawlinson Lock New Zealand New Zealand
Jake Abbott (Injured) Flanker England England
Neil Best Flanker Ireland Ireland
James Collins Flanker England England
Matt Kvesic Flanker England England
Pat Sanderson Flanker England England
Adam Balding Number 8 England England
Kai Horstmann (vc) Number 8 England England
Player Position Union
Jonny Arr Scrum-half England England
Ollie Frost Scrum-half England England
Andy Williams Scrum-half Wales Wales
Joe Carlisle Fly-half England England
Andy Goode Fly-half England England
Alex Crockett Centre England England
Alex Grove Centre Scotland Scotland
Rob Higgitt Centre Wales Wales
Greg King Centre England England
Dale Rasmussen Centre Samoa Samoa
Andy Short Centre England England
Tom Arscott Wing England England
Miles Benjamin Wing England England
Marcel Garvey Wing England England
Oriol Ripol Wing Spain Spain
Chris Pennell (c Injured) Fullback England England
Willie Walker Fullback New Zealand New Zealand

Current England Saxons squad

Internationally Capped Players

Other International Honours

Note: All players listed have not been capped at full International level.

Transfers 2010/2011

Players In

Players Out

Current Coaching Staff

  • Richard Hill – Head Coach
    • Phil Davies – Forwards Coach
    • Andrew Stanley – Head of Skill Development & Academy Manager
    • Tony Windo – Skills Development (Scrum) Coach
    • Gary Meechan – Skill Development & Academy Assistant Manager

[37]

Notable former players

Club honours

  • North Midlands Cup Winners 1977–78
  • North Midlands Division One Champions 1989–90
  • Midlands Division Two Champions 1992–93
  • Midlands Division One Champions 1994–95
  • North Midlands Cup Winners 1995–96
  • National Division Five North Champions 1995–96
  • National Division Four North Champions 1996–97
  • Jewsons National League One Champions 1997–98
  • North Midlands Cup Winners 1997–98
  • Powerline Floodlit Cup Winners 1997–98
  • National Division Two Champions 1999–2000
  • National Division One Champions 2003–2004

[38]

Top-Flight Seasons

Season Premiership Domestic Cup European Cup
Competition Final Position Points Competition Performance Competition Performance
2009–10 Guinness Premiership 12th 28 LV Cup 4th in pool European Challenge Cup 3rd in pool
2008–09 Guinness Premiership 11th 34 EDF Energy Cup 4th in pool European Challenge Cup Semi-finalists
2007–08 Guinness Premiership 10th 36 EDF Energy Cup 4th in pool European Challenge Cup Finalists
2006–07 Guinness Premiership 11th 34 EDF Energy Cup 2nd in pool European Challenge Cup 2nd in pool
2005–06 Guinness Premiership 8th 47 Powergen Cup 4th in pool European Challenge Cup Semi-finalists
2004–05 Zurich Premiership 9th 42 Powergen Cup 6th round European Shield Finalists

Charitable Causes

Cecil Duckworth is a trustee of the Wooden Spoon, the charity of British rugby, supporting disadvantaged children. In January 2007, Worcester opened a "Playing for Success" centre, supported by Spoon.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Sixways Stadium Information". Warriors.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  2. ^ "Senior Management". Warriors.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
  3. ^ "Worcester Statistics" (PDF). RFU.com. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  4. ^ "Warriors Club Sponsors". Warriors.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  5. ^ "Warriors suffer European cup final misery". Warriors.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  6. ^ "Warriors sign superstar Latham". Warriors.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  7. ^ "1st XV Players". Warriors.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  8. ^ http://www.warriors.co.uk/9751.php
  9. ^ "Balding agrees Worcester switch". BBC News. 2010-02-19.
  10. ^ http://www.warriors.co.uk/9695.php
  11. ^ "Goode agrees deal with Worcester". BBC News. 2010-02-23.
  12. ^ http://www.warriors.co.uk/9694.php
  13. ^ "Saints' Best lands Worcester move". BBC News. 2010-01-26.
  14. ^ "Worcester swoop for prop Douglas". BBC News. 2010-03-02.
  15. ^ http://www.warriors.co.uk/9702.php
  16. ^ "Worcester snap up centre Higgitt". BBC News. 2010-06-10.
  17. ^ "Warriors sign hooker Shervington". BBC News. 2010-06-18.
  18. ^ http://www.warriors.co.uk/9697.php
  19. ^ "Latham to quit Worcester Warriors". BBC News. 2010-01-06.
  20. ^ "Gloucester sign Worcester flanker". BBC News. 2010-05-11.
  21. ^ "Ten England Sevens players on central contracts in new move by RFU". The Guardian. London. 2010-07-15.
  22. ^ http://www.nowrugby.com/rugbynews/a-dozen-new-bees-signed/1032/
  23. ^ http://www.stourbridgerugby.com/squad_details.php?id=37
  24. ^ http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3825_6207871,00.html
  25. ^ http://www.moseleyrugby.co.uk/SITE_STRUCTURE/index_1.htm
  26. ^ http://www.stourbridge-rugby.com/club-news/wordley-and-page-compete-for-hookers-berth
  27. ^ "Saints sign Wood from Worcester". BBC News. 2010-01-27.
  28. ^ http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,15182_6183665,00.html
  29. ^ "Worcester swoop for prop Douglas". BBC News. 2010-03-02.
  30. ^ http://www.warriors.co.uk/9649.php
  31. ^ http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,15180_6145171,00.html
  32. ^ http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,15182_6183665,00.html
  33. ^ Template:It http://www.vesport.it/newsvisualizza.asp?ID=15131
  34. ^ http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/sport/8409249.Baker_ruled_out_indefinitely/
  35. ^ http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3825_6165965,00.html
  36. ^ "Saints sign Worcester scrum-half". BBC News. 2010-04-27.
  37. ^ "Worcester Warriors 1st XV Coaching Staff". Warriors.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  38. ^ "Record of Achievement". Warriors.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-01-23.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Worcester_Warriors&oldid=413078841"