ALAN Solomons has urged his Worcester Warriors side to bounce back from their European Challenge Cup agony when they travel to the Ricoh Arena to face Wasps this weekend.
A trip to Coventry awaits Warriors on Saturday (April 6) to kick off the final five Premiership games of the season as Warriors seek to put distance between themselves and basement boys Newcastle Falcons.
Warriors are just three points off the bottom of the table but with just nine separating them from fifth-placed Northampton Saints, Solomons is aware his side could have a rousing finish to the campaign.
“It’s another big game. Wasps are at home and it’s a big challenge for us but we are looking forward to it,” he said.
“When we played them at home on the first day of the season it came down to a drop goal attempt at the end.
“Perhaps we didn’t quite get the rub of the goal but that sometimes happen. But it’s a completely different time now and the season has moved on.
“Wasps are a good side. We have got to be a little bit wary of how they have played of late. They have got quality right across the team.”
The Sixways side were eliminated from the European Challenge Cup after a narrow 18-15 quarter-final loss to Harlequins on Saturday evening (March 30) in a game in which Solomons felt his side dominated.
A penalty from Harlequins’ replacement fly-half Demetri Catrakilis four minutes from time decided the contest and denied Warriors a semi-final against Clermont Auvergne.
Warriors looked like they had claimed a deserved win after wingers Bryce Heem and Tom Howe crossed for tries and Duncan Weir guided over a nerveless penalty on 74 minutes but Warriors were caught off-side from the restart and Catrakilis found the target for the decisive score.
“We dominated the match but we made too many unforced errors and the consequence was the opportunities we had to score tries were missed,” Solomons said.
“We turned over too much ball and that cost us the match. Apart from the turnovers we can take a lot of confidence from the game. We scrummed very well, dominated the collisions, the possession and territory on the night but if you make too many unforced errors you pay the price.”
Ted Hill, Nick Schonert, Marco Mama and Anton Bresler were all given the chance to rest minor injuries last week and have trained this week while Bryce Heem had a bit of discomfort underneath a foot but he should be fine this weekend, according to Solomons.
Welsh wing wizard Josh Adams could also be in contention after a five-day break following his country’s Grand Slam exploits.
Saturday’s clash at the Ricoh Arena kicks off at 3pm.