All Blacks spark Warriors to ten-try bonanza (From Malvern Gazette)

All Blacks spark Warriors to ten-try bonanza

8:15pm Sunday 16th December 2007 in Local

WORCESTER Warriors' new signings lived up to their hype as they ignited the team to a ten-try blitz of GRAN Parma in Italy.

Worcester are now virtually assured of a quarter-final place in the European Chal-lenge Cup but, more importantly, after this performance they should now have the shape and confidence to kick-start their Guinness Premiership form.

Sam Tuitupou was outstanding on his debut and his strength and vision opened up the gaps for the Worcester back-three time and time again. Rico Gear also scored his first points for his new side as he ran in four tries for the Warriors and netted his first hat-trick for the Sixways club before half-time.

Parma got off to a decent start as they denied Worcester possession for the first ten minutes. They could not turn territory into points, however, as first the former Worcester fly-half Tommy Hayes and then the Parma top scorer and full-back Rima Wakarua both missed penalty attempts on goal.

This spurred the Warriors into action and the first try was to set the scene for an electrifying afternoon of running rugby from Worcester. Gear, Netani Talei and Tuitupou all exchanged passes before Gear looped round and dived in for Worcester's first score. Shane Drahm converted and the Warriors' squad visibly relaxed and began to play open, running rugby.

Although Wakarua added three penalties for the home side during the first half, their supporters had little to cheer about as they were consistently out-played and out-muscled by the Warriors.

Greg Rawlinson and Craig Gillies stole the majority of Parma's line-out ball and time and time again the home side's scrum crumbled under pressure from Worcester.

From start to finish Warriors didn't do anything special, they simply did the basics extremely well.

Try number two came on 26 minutes as Drahm kicked a penalty into the top corner, the line-out was won and number eight Kai Horstmann was on the end of a controlled rolling maul. Drahm converted to put Worcester 14-3 ahead.

Five minutes later Marcel Garvey increased the gap as he ran 20 metres after some slick passing down the line and dived in at the corner.

Tries number four and five were fabulous. First Horstmann caught a re-start and the ball went through every pair of hands in the back line as Gear accelerated to touch down and secure Worcester a bonus point for scoring four tries.

Gear's hat-trick was equally impressive as he burst through the gap and left the Parma back-line for dead to lead Worcester into the half-time break 31-9 ahead.

During last week's 50-point victory over Parma, Worcester were disappointed with the way they played in the second-half, but there was to be no repeat this time. Warriors came back after the break with added strength as Garvey added his second try and Worcester's sixth on 46 minutes by bursting through several attempted tackles. Drahm was on target with the conversion and Worcester were on a roll.

Just two minutes later Gear seized his fourth try with a shimmy and a kick of the heels to leave the Parma back-line for dead and another successful kick from Drahm put the game out of their reach.

What was most impressive from Worcester was not just the attacking play, but the way in which they put just as much effort into their defence.

Parma refused to give up but Worcester were dogged and determined and smothered any chances the home side had of attacking.

Try number eight came from Chris Pennell who ran the length of the pitch to show just why the Warriors were so delighted to have secured his services for another two years last week.

Scrum-half Matt Powell finished off a fine performance with try number nine and James Brown, who had returned from his loan spell to take over from Drahm at fly-half, added yet another two points.

Parma, who are at the bottom of Pool Two in the European Challenge Cup, deserve credit for not giving in and they deserved replacement Alessandro Onori's 67th minute try.

But the last say went to the Warriors as wing Miles Benjamin scored one of the game's finest tries as he ran in for try number ten just a minute after coming on as a replacement.

A place in the knock-out stages is now not in doubt, but Worcester are keen to keep the same standards for their remaining two group matches and assure themselves a home tie in the quarter-finals.