Nottingham: Come to the Fortress

Nottingham — Back at the Fortress

After taking the first journey of the new campaign and returning from Richmond with another bonus-point victory, the Champions are back where they belong — at the Fortress. Nottingham are the visitors to Sixways on Saturday, and this is a fixture that already carries a little history. Last season these two sides produced one of the most dramatic finishes of the campaign when Worcester recovered from 19–7 down to trail 22–21 entering the final moments. With Sixways roaring them forward, the Warriors kept the pressure on and Ashley Challenger forced his way over with the very last play of the game to snatch a 24–22 victory. It was Warriors rugby in its purest form — courage, determination and a refusal to accept defeat.

Nottingham

Nottingham will arrive with something to prove. They began the new season with a 38–31 victory over Blackheath and followed it with a narrow defeat at Ampthill, but their latest outing was a painful one as Coventry ran in ten tries in a 64–26 victory. They will therefore come to Sixways determined to put that result behind them and show that they are a far better side than that scoreline suggests. They will be wounded, motivated and looking for a response, and the Warriors will need to be ready from the very first whistle.

Warriors

Worcester, however, have made a magnificent start. Bedford were swept aside 40–5, Rotherham beaten 78–12 and Richmond conquered 45–26. Three games, three victories and three bonus points, with 163 points scored in the process. Yet perhaps more encouraging than the statistics has been the character shown by the team. We have seen power, attacking ambition and plenty of tries, but we have also seen the ability to withstand pressure and find a way to win when the opposition refuses to go away. Those are the qualities that won the Championship last season, and they are going to be every bit as important in defending it.

Saturday is another opportunity to show that the hunger has not gone away. The Warriors are no longer the team fighting its way back towards the top; they are the Champions, and every side in the division now wants the satisfaction of beating them. That is the price of success, but it is also something to embrace. There is something special about walking into Sixways knowing that everyone wearing the opposition shirt has come to spoil the party, because that is when the support from the stands can make a real difference.

The Supporters - YOU!

And this is where the Warriors faithful come in. We have been through the darkest days with this club and we have celebrated the extraordinary journey back to the top. Now we have the privilege of watching the Champions defend their crown, and there is no better place to do it than in front of a packed, passionate Sixways. Nottingham may arrive looking for a reaction, but they need to understand one thing before they walk through those gates: this is our house.

Match Outlook

Expect Nottingham to come out with plenty of fire after their heavy defeat, so the Warriors must match that intensity and then impose their own game. Worcester have the attacking weapons to cause enormous problems, but patience and discipline will be vital. If the Warriors win the physical battle, control possession and turn pressure into points, another home victory is there for the taking. But, as last season's meeting proved, this is a fixture that could go right down to the wire.

So let's make Saturday another Sixways occasion to remember. Let the flags fly, let the voices rise and let the players know from the opening minute that they have an army behind them. This is our club, our ground and our moment.The Champions are home, and the Fortress is ready.

And perhaps, as we prepare for battle, there are few words more appropriate than those spoken by Winston Churchill when the nation faced its darkest hour:

“We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”

Those words were about courage when the odds were against you. About standing together when the pressure was greatest. About refusing to yield, whatever was thrown at you.

So on Saturday, Warriors, fight for every ball, fight for every metre, fight for every tackle and fight for the man beside you. And from the stands, let us fight with them. Let Sixways become a wall of noise, a sea of gold and blue, and a reminder to everyone on that pitch that Worcester Warriors never stand alone.

We shall fight. We shall believe. We shall never surrender.

COME ON YOU WARRIORS!

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