Solomons understands frustration of Worcester fans ahead of Saints clash

Worcester Warriors boss Alan Solomons says he understands the frustrations of the club's fans after a disappointing start to 2020.
Worcester boss Alan SolomonsWorcester boss Alan Solomons
Worcester boss Alan Solomons

Warriors have lost all five of their Gallagher Premiership games during the current calendar year, slipping to 10th in the standings.

They have won just four of their 12 league matches so far and were beaten 14-8 at Leicester Tigers last weekend.

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And ahead of Friday's home clash with Saints, Solomons said: "It’s perfectly understandable that the fans are frustrated because everyone wants to win.

"Last season we won a number of games – Leicester home and away, Saracens and Bath at home – with late scores, but this season things haven’t quite gone our way.

"The lads are putting in a huge amount of effort.

"Anyone who watched the Bristol match at Ashton Gate (Worcester lost 13-10 at Bristol on February 23) would appreciate what an unbelievable performance it was to restrict a side that plays a possession-based game to one try, and that came from a tap penalty.

"We are so close and it’s important that our supporters stick with us through thick and thin.

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"My message is: keep the faith, come to Sixways on Friday and support the boys. The supporters have a big part to play in helping to get the boys over the line.

"Having a big crowd behind the boys under the floodlights on Friday night is vital."

On last weekend's loss at Welford Road, Solomons said: "Losing Anton Bresler midway through the first half and Graham Kitchener at half-time had a major impact on us and it affected our set piece in the second half.

"It meant that Ted Hill, who was carrying an injury, had to play the whole of the second half in the second row.

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"We went from 60 per cent possession playing into the wind in the first half to 40 per cent possession with the wind at our backs in the second half.

"The margins at this level are so fine. We will get across the line, you cannot give up."

Ahead of the clash with Saints, Solomons gave a number of injury updates.

"Anton Bresler failed a head injury assessment last Saturday and won’t be fit this weekend," he said.

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"Graham Kitchener also failed a head injury assessment at Leicester. He is going through the return-to-play protocols but I’m more optimistic about him for Northampton.

"Ted Hill should be fine to play against Northampton.

"Marco Mama suffered a foot injury against Leicester and will be out for between five and six weeks.

"Ashley Beck is still not 100 per cent right. With a blank weekend next week, he should be fit to face Gloucester.

"Dean Hammond and Ed Fidow should both be back by the end of the month.

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"Callum Black is back running and will hopefully be fit to return during the next block of Premiership matches."

Solomons insists he couldn't ask for much more from the players who are taking the field for Worcester right now.

And he added: "We could have won any one of the last four games. If we had we would have been in a very different position.

"We have got to keep things in perspective, stay keep focused, keep working hard and be persistent.

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"The commitment of the players is unbelievable. To put in 294 tackles at Bristol, then put in another big shift at Leicester six days later and then have another six day turn-round for Northampton requires a huge effort."

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