Cockerill happy to eke out win
Richard Cockerill felt Worcester produced their best display of the season on Friday
©Press Association
Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill was relieved to see his team scrape past Worcester 23-22 on Friday night but acknowledged they should have taken more of the chances that came their way.
Sale Sharks' director of rugby Steve Diamond admitted his side did not play to their full potential despite their 24-19 triumph over Gloucester.
Two tries each from Rob Miller and Dan Braid sealed the result and a bonus point as they moved to within two points of the Aviva Premiership play-off places.
That might change when the teams around them play on Saturday and Sunday, but Diamond is pleased with their efforts so far this season, even if Sale's boss was frustrated with elements of their performance against the Cherry and Whites.
He said: "It's ironic that this time last season we were at the bottom of the league and 12-13 points away from the next team, London Welsh.
"We're in a different position now and the team has a lot of belief, even though the team didn't play as well as they could have done in certain parts tonight, but we got the result."
Although Sale are sitting in the top half of the league, this season's star performers James Gaskell, Miller and Dwayne Peel have all decided to leave for pastures new at the end of the season.
"They're all with us until the end of the season and Rob's first touch of the ball was an error, but he repaid us by scoring those two tries," he added.
"They're committed to the cause, the three or four that are leaving, but they're being replaced as we speak and we'll keep the majority of the team together."
The Aviva Premiership champions were given an almighty scare by the bottom-placed Warriors at Sixways, but edged to a narrow victory thanks to two tries from impressive wing Vereniki Goneva and 13 points from the boot of Toby Flood.
"I'm glad to win as that was the best Worcester have played all season," he said.
"We should have taken more advantage in the first half but they are a good side and kicked their goals to remain in contention.
"It was a tough arm-wrestle and we did well to get through it. We did take two of our opportunities but we had around six in total so should have taken more."
Chris Pennell was the star man for Worcester, kicking 17 points with five penalties and a conversion of Josh Drauniniu's second-half try.
Pennell's only miss was a long-range effort which rebounded back off a post. Had it gone over, Worcester would have probably won.
Worcester director of rugby Dean Ryan was impressed by Pennell's display.
"Our goal-kicking has been a horror show all season," he said. "Chris is a fantastic player and he's got really strong courage and he is now solving our goal-kicking problem."
Worcester were unrecognisable from the side that lost 42-3 at home against Exeter last weekend as they produced a spirited performance.
"That's the best illustration of what we are trying to achieve," Ryan said. "It was a huge performance and a huge effort, but we need to be able to replicate it - starting with next week.
"We earned respect tonight in all the right ways, but it's still only one point and we are still learning how to be a team."
Worcester had gifted their opponents an early seven-point advantage when Goneva intercepted a stray pass from Paul Warwick.
"That made it very difficult for us, but we didn't let it get to us. And fair play to the forwards - they had got us back in it by half-time," Ryan added.
©Press Association
