Doing simple things helped Worcester end losing run

Worcester Warriors assistant coach Tom Cruse says the key to ending their run of four defeats in a row in the Champ was a desire to do the basics of the game much better.

Losses to Bedford Blues, Chinnor, leaders Ealing and Hartpury had checked their momentum after an encouraging start to their first season back in the game following their well-documented financial problems.

But a fine 41-14 win over Ampthill, that saw Worcester run in seven tries, ended their disappointing run and kept them third in the table, two points behind Bedford.

Cruse said the coaching staff had re-emphasised the importance of nailing the key skills ahead of the game.

"There were some difficult fixtures in there so I think it's always important to remember context of that," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"Around the start of the Ampthill game we did the simple stuff really well and I think that's what we learned as a playing group, and a coaching group - let's get the basics of the game done, to walk before we can run.

"The best teams in the world do the simple things really well - the basics around the set-piece, around ball presentation and managing your own half.

"The same stuff all the time. It's just about how well you can put it on the pitch."

Warriors will be at home to Doncaster this weekend, the South Yorkshire side having beaten them 34-31 in their first meeting thanks to a last-minute try.

"They got one over us at so will be be fired up to do the double on us," Cruse said.

"But it's about managing our own parts of our game.

"It was a really disappointing way to lose. We were really poor in the first half but then fought our way back and you felt a momentum swing and one passage of play and you've lost it again. It was the emotional rollercoaster of sport.

"There's no extra motivation. Our game's grown so much since the start of the season and we feel we're a miles better side."