Worcester Warriors facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Worcester Warriors

Full name	Worcester Warriors Rugby Football Club
Union	North Midlands RFU
Founded	1871; 154 years ago (1871)
Disbanded	2022
Location	Worcester, Worcestershire, England
Ground(s)	Sixways Stadium (Capacity: 11,499)
Most caps	Craig Gillies (288)
Top scorer	Shane Drahm (726)
Most tries	Nick Baxter (88)
2022-23	Premiership Rugby, 13th (Relegated)
1st kit 2nd kit
Official website

The Worcester Warriors Rugby Football Club was a professional rugby union team. They were based in Worcester, England. Sadly, the club faced big money problems. This meant they had to stop playing. They were also moved down from the top league.

The club started in 1871. In 1975, they moved to their home, Sixways Stadium. This stadium is just north of the city. The team's colours are gold and blue.

When the English rugby league began, Worcester was in the eighth division. They became a strong team thanks to lots of money. This came from their supporter and chairman, Cecil Duckworth. They kept getting promoted through the leagues. Worcester first reached the top league, the Premiership, in 2004. They returned there two more times after being moved down.

Worcester won one major trophy, the 2022 Premiership Cup. They also won the second division three times. These wins were in 2004, 2011, and 2015. They also won four titles in lower divisions. This happened as they climbed through the English league system.

In the 2021–22 Premiership Rugby season, they finished 11th. This allowed them to play in the 2022–23 Premiership Rugby season. They also qualified for the 2022-23 European Rugby Challenge Cup. Steve Diamond was their director of rugby. He joined the team in January 2022.

The club ran into serious financial trouble. This was due to unpaid taxes. On September 26, 2022, the club was suspended. The Rugby Football Union stopped them from playing games. Their future in the Premiership Rugby was unclear. On October 5, 2022, all player and coach contracts ended. This happened after a court order about their debts.

Club History

How the Club Started

The club was founded in 1871. It was started by Reverend Francis John Ede. Their first known game was on November 8, 1871. They played against the Royal Artillery Rugby Club. This game took place at Pitchcroft. The club started playing at Bevere in Worcester in 1954. They moved to Sixways in 1975. That's when their clubhouse opened. When the league system began, Worcester was in North Midlands Division One. This was a level eight league.

Strong Support and Growth

The club grew very strong. This was thanks to a lot of support. Their backer, Cecil Duckworth, provided much help. They kept getting promoted, one after another. In 2006, big plans were announced. They wanted to spend £23 million. This would add a health club, fitness centre, and swimming pool. They also planned a paved parking area. The stadium capacity would grow to 11,499 seats.

Reaching the Top League

The badge used by Worcester Warriors until 2008

Worcester Warriors moved up to the Premiership. This happened after they won National Division One in 2003–04. They won all 26 games that season. No team had ever done that before! Many thought they would go straight back down. But they surprised everyone. They stayed in the Premiership for another season. They finished ninth in the league. They beat teams like Harlequins and Leeds. They also had a famous win against champions London Wasps. A big win against Northampton kept them safe.

In the 2004–05 season, they aimed to stay in the Premiership. But they did even better! They reached the final of the European Shield. They lost to the French team Auch. They also played a match to get into the Heineken Cup. But injuries meant they lost. Still, they achieved much more than expected. They earned respect from other Premiership teams.

In the 2005–06 season, they did well in the European Challenge Cup. They won their group. They reached the semi-finals. They played against Gloucester Rugby. This was a local derby game. They played exciting rugby but were knocked out. In the league, they avoided being moved down. They finished eighth. This was a great achievement for their second season in the top league.

The 2006–07 season started slowly. Worcester was often in 12th place. But they had a good run of wins. They beat some top teams. This helped them avoid relegation. Instead, former champions Northampton Saints were moved down.

Staying in the Premiership

For the 2007–08 season, Worcester signed big players. One was All Black Rico Gear. Again, they started slowly in the Premiership. Their first win came after Christmas. But they did well in the European Challenge Cup (ECC). They reached the final against Bath. They lost 24–16. Meanwhile, their league form improved. They beat teams like Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks. They moved out of the relegation zone.

In 2008, Worcester made a huge signing. They got Australian international Chris Latham. He joined for the 2008–09 season. The season didn't go as planned. But Worcester still did well in the ECC. They beat local rivals Gloucester and London Wasps in the league. The season ended sadly. They lost in the ECC semi-final.

Moving Down from the Premiership

After the 2008–09 Guinness Premiership season, the Warriors started the 2009–10 Guinness Premiership well. They had good wins against Leeds Carnegie and Sale Sharks. But then they had a tough time. They went 10 games without a win. During this time, they became the first Premiership team to draw four games in a season. They also drew three league games in a row. After this bad spell, they won 13–0 against Newcastle. But then came six more losses. On April 25, they were moved down from the Premiership. This happened after a 12–10 loss to Leeds Carnegie. It was their first time being moved down in 22 years. They played the 2010–11 season in the Championship. Richard Hill became the new head coach. Chris Pennell was the new captain.

Back to the Top League

The 2010–11 season was amazing for Worcester. They won 30 out of 31 games in the Championship. They only lost one game to the Cornish Pirates. Worcester finished top of the league. They won the play-off against Bedford Blues. Then they won both parts of the play-off final. This meant Worcester was promoted back to the Premiership for the 2011–12 season. Before the season, there were talks about building a Hilton Hotel at Sixways. They also planned a health and leisure facility. And they thought about expanding the North Stand. Richard Hill left in April 2013. Dean Ryan took over as coach.

From 2013 Onwards

Dean Ryan couldn't keep the Warriors in the top league. The club was moved down again. But Ryan started rebuilding the team. He brought in young, talented players. These players couldn't get much playing time at bigger clubs. The Warriors quickly got promoted back to the Premiership. They beat Bristol in the play-offs. This was thanks to a last-minute try by Chris Pennell. The club also won the B&I Cup. They beat Doncaster 35–5.

The Warriors' first season back in the Premiership (2015/16) was good. They improved their training centre. They also signed famous players like Francois Hougaard. They finished tenth in the league. In 2016–17, they finished 11th. This was after a strong finish under new Director of Rugby Gary Gold. They scored a club record 56 tries in the league. Gold left in early 2018. Alan Solomons took over. He led Worcester to another 11th-place finish in 2017–18.

In the 2021–22 season, the club finished 11th. They also won the Premiership Cup for the first time.

Financial Problems and Suspension

In August 2022, the club faced a big problem. They had unpaid taxes. The UK government's tax authority asked for the club to be closed down. They played their first game of the season on September 10, 2022. They lost badly to London Irish.

On September 13, the club said a new buyer was almost ready. But the deal wasn't signed. The RFU gave the club a deadline. They had to prove they could play their next match. They did, and the game went ahead. They got another deadline for their third match. They met that too. Then they had to prove they could survive long-term. They missed this deadline on September 26. So, Worcester Warriors and their women's team were suspended. They later said they were seeking special financial protection.

On October 6, the club was removed from Premiership Rugby for the season. Their game results were erased. If they find a buyer, they might play in the RFU Championship in 2023–24. On December 16, 2022, the RFU rejected the club's plans. The buyers they chose couldn't meet the rules. Unless a different buyer is found, the club can't operate as a professional team.

Team Rivalries

Worcester had two main rivalries. These were with Gloucester and Rotherham.

The rivalry with Rotherham grew from many games. They played each other often in The Championship. This was between 1998 and 2003. Both clubs were always at the top of the league. They fought for the one promotion spot. Because of this, their games drew big crowds. Media interest was high. People even called them 'The Celtic and Rangers' of their division.

The rivalry was strongest in the 2002–03 season. Rotherham had won the 2001–02 Championship. But they couldn't be promoted. Their stadium wasn't good enough. So, for the 2002–03 season, Rotherham moved. They shared a stadium with Rotherham United FC.

Their first game in 2002–03 was on November 23. Rotherham won by five points. This was a big step for Rotherham to win the league. The game was very tough. Worcester was ahead at half-time. But in the second half, Worcester had players sent off. Rotherham scored 32 points and won easily.

Despite this, Worcester kept up with Rotherham. They lost only one game until their next meeting in April. This game was at Sixways. It was the third-to-last game of the season. Both teams were very close in the league. The winner would likely get into the Premiership. The game was shown live on Sky Sports. It also had a record crowd of 5,700 fans. Rotherham fans filled the North Stand. Rotherham led 9–3 at half-time. In the second half, Rotherham scored two quick tries. They won 21–9. This led to big celebrations from their fans.

Older fans often see Rotherham as Worcester's main rival. But many newer fans see Gloucester as the main rival. This is because they played Gloucester often in the Premiership. The two cities are also close. And the media often called their games a derby.

Season Results

Gold background means champions
Silver background means runners-up
Pink background means moved down a league

* After dropping into the competition from the Challenge Cup

Club Trophies

Worcester Warriors

• Premiership Rugby Cup
  • Champions: (1) 2021–22
• RFU Championship
  • Champions: (3) 2003–04, 2010–11, 2014–15
  • Runners-up: (3) 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03
• National League 1
  • Champions: (1) 1997–98
• National League 2 North
  • Champions: (1) 1996–97
• Midlands Premier
  • Champions: (1) 1994–95
• Midlands 2 West
  • Champions: (1) 1992–93
• North Midlands 1
  • Champions: (1) 1989–90
• European Challenge Cup
  • Runners-up: (1) 2007–08
• European Shield
  • Runners-up: (1) 2004–05
• British and Irish Cup
  • Champions: (1) 2014–15
• North Midlands Cup
  • Champions: (3) 1977–78, 1995–96, 1997–98
  • Runners-up: (3) 1976–77, 1993–94, 1996–97
• Powerline Floodlit Cup
  • Champions: (1) 1997–98

Worcester Cavaliers (Youth Team)

• Premiership Rugby Shield
  • Runners-up: (1) 2014–15

Former Squad Players

Since October 5, 2022, no players are officially part of the team. Before that date, the Warriors had these players for the 2022–23 season:

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Beck Cutting Hooker England Hame Faiva Hooker Italy Curtis Langdon Hooker England Murray McCallum Prop Scotland Valery Morozov Prop Russia Kai Owen Prop England Jack Owlett Prop Scotland Rory Sutherland Prop Scotland Jay Tyack Prop England Joe Batley Lock England Justin Clegg Lock England Andrew Kitchener Lock England Graham Kitchener Lock England Renato Giammarioli Back row Italy Cameron Neild Back row England Tom Dodd Back row Scotland Ted Hill Back row England Matt Kvesic Back row England

Player Position Union Will Chudley Scrum-half England Gareth Simpson Scrum-half England Billy Searle Fly-half England Jamie Shillcock Fly-half England Owen Williams Fly-half Wales Ashley Beck Centre Wales Will Butler Centre England Ollie Lawrence Centre England Oli Morris Centre Ireland Francois Venter Centre South Africa Harri Doel Wing Wales Alex Hearle Wing England Tom Howe Wing England Jack Johnson Wing England Duhan van der Merwe Wing Scotland Noah Heward Fullback England Perry Humphreys Fullback England

Former Academy Players

The Worcester Warriors youth academy squad included:

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Finn Theobald-Thomas Hooker England Lewis Holsey Prop England Jack Forsythe Back row England Morgan Monks Back row England

Player Position Union Tom Miles Scrum-half England Ollie Wynn Scrum-half England Fin Smith Fly-half England Seb Atkinson Centre England Tobi Wilson Fullback England

Former Club Staff

Before their contracts ended, these people were coaches at the Warriors:

First Team Coaching

• Director of Rugby: Steve Diamond
• Forwards coach: Mark Irish
• Defence coach: Jonny Bell
• Attack coach: Mark Jones

Academy

• Academy Manager: Mike Hall
• Academy Forwards Development Coach: Chris Morgan
• Academy Backs Development Coach: Jonny Goodridge

Famous Players

Lions Tourists

These Worcester Warriors players were chosen for the Lions tours while at the club:

• Ben Te'o (2017)

World Cup Players

The following players represented their countries at the World Cup while playing for Worcester:

Tournament	Players selected	England players	Other national team players
1999	1		Sililo Martens
2003	2		Ben Hinshelwood , Sateki Tuipulotu
2007	4		Chris Horsman , Aisea Havili, Aleki Lutui , Loki Crichton
2011	2		Aleki Lutui , Ravai Fatiaki
2015	1		Tevita Cavubati
2019	2		Ed Fidow , Joe Taufete'e

Sponsors

The club's uniforms were made by O'Neills. They signed with them in 2020. Their main shirt sponsor was Adam Hewitt Ltd. In 2019, the club made a deal with Aramis Rugby. They supplied digital scrum machines.

Helping Others

Acorns Children's Hospice was the Warriors' official charity partner. This started when the hospice opened in March 2005. The club raised over £200,000 to help the charity. Hooker Niall Annett was the charity's Player Ambassador.

Cecil Duckworth was also a trustee for the Wooden Spoon. This charity helps disadvantaged children. In January 2007, Worcester opened a "Playing for Success" centre. This centre was supported by Wooden Spoon.

See also

In Spanish: Worcester Warriors para niños