‘We needed the break’ – Ryan

Editor

Worcester Warriors boss Dean Ryan conceded he welcomed the bye last week after their 54-35 thumping against Wasps two weeks ago.

This victory was a special one for the Ricoh Arena outfit's speedster Christian Wade after the winger scored six times, equalling former Saracen Ryan Constable's Premiership record for most tries in a match.

Ryan admits that his side, who had 104 points shipped against them in their last two games, needed the time off to perk up and shift their focus on to the next challenge.

"We’ve spoken a lot about how we want our season to finish," Ryan told the Worcester Observer.

"Because of the performance against Wasps, I would’ve preferred to have played last weekend as we were upset we couldn’t get it right on the pitch last time out, but we needed this break.

"We have a small squad and being right at the end of the campaign we’re suffering with fatigue both emotionally and physically.

"We’re a team that needs to be close to operating at 100 per cent all the time, otherwise we’re very short of ability in other areas.

Warriors, who have avoided a bottom of the table finish after a record four-match winning streak in the Premiership, the longest in the history of the club, have two games remaining against Leicester Tigers (this week) and title contenders, Saracens on May 7.

"Although we’ve now got the freedom of having no pressure, we’ve lost the intensity that underpins it. If we can get that combination right we can become a dangerous side," Ryan added.

"Being a Premiership rugby player you have to dust yourself off and go again, so we’ve used this week to refresh and we now have the opportunity to avoid a similar performance to that of Wasps and Exeter."

The Sixways outfit narrowly lost to Leicester, 29-20, in December last year but were however hammered by the table topping Saracens, 48-18, in November. 

"Leicester and Saracens are two teams towards the top of the Premiership and are also top European sides," said Ryan.

"We’ve seen enough of them to know they’re not teams with glaring holes in them and don’t show any massive weaknesses, so I think the focus will be very much about us getting our game right."