Warriors power past Falcons
Worcester finished their Guinness Premiership campaign with a flourish as they demolished Newcastle Falcons 50-10 at Sixways.
Last Updated: 10/05/08 5:29pm
Worcester Warriors finished their Guinness Premiership campaign with a flourish as they demolished Newcastle Falcons 50-10 at Sixways.
Worcester warmed up for their European Challenge Cup final against Bath in two weeks' time in emphatic fashion as they ran in eight tries against the beleaguered Falcons.
Miles Benjamin scored two second half tries for the Warriors after captain Pat Sanderson, Aleki Latui and Chris Horsman had sprung the hosts into a commanding lead at the interval.
Worcester made their intentions clear from the start as a hesitant Newcastle side made numerous handling errors.
Warriors dominance
Captain Sanderson put the Warriors in front after five minutes when he powered his way over from a metre out following an attacking ruck.
Newcastle found themselves further behind shortly after when Worcester crossed the line following a neat move at a line-out. Tongan hooker Latui threw to Greg Rawlinson for the 6ft 7in All Black to return the ball to his colleague on the touchline for a try.
The try injected some much needed life into Newcastle, and wing Ollie Phillips spectacularly leapt over the home midfield and ran in from 30 metres for the visitors only score of the afternoon.
Fly-half Steve Jones converted, although the Falcons cause was not helped when hooker Rob Vickers was sin-binned after 28 minutes for pulling an opponent's shirt.
Any thoughts of a Newcastle comeback were stifled just before half-time as Shane Drahm, who converted Sanderson's try, booted a penalty to add to Wales prop Horsman's try in the corner.
Wilted
On the stroke of half-time Jones cut the deficit to 10 points with a long 35-metre penalty as Worcester held a deserved 20-10 lead at the break.
However, as soon as the second half got underway so too did a flurry of Worcester scores.
Thinus Delport was put in at the corner by Drahm while wing prospect Miles Benjamin scored twice inside two minutes as Newcastle wilted in the Sixways sun.
New Zealand legend Rico Gear burst clear for Worcester's seventh try six minutes into the second half when he steamed through a gaping gap in the Newcastle midfield.
Former England wing Marcel Garvey sealed the rout with the home side's eighth try of the afternoon, and the scoring was finished off in fitting fashion as Drew Hickey converted on his last appearance for the club.
