Worcester 25 Gloucester 15: Visitors' wastefulness allows Jonny Arr to enjoy his comeback

Gloucester generously contributed to Jonny Arr’s testimonial match with a profligate performance that allowed Worcester to make a mockery of the Premiership table with a second win in a row over a top-four team.

Having stunned Exeter at Sandy Park last week Worcester produced another superb defensive display which not only denied Gloucester the consolation of a losing bonus point.

Arr, who first played for Worcester as a six-year-old in their mini rugby section 23 years ago, marked his return from more than three months out with concussion by nipping over for the first of their three first-half tries after just five minutes.

Last week Arr played 40 minutes on loan for Moseley in National One, the first time he had not worn a Worcester shirt in a competitive match and his team-mates were determined to reward his loyalty with a win on his comeback.

“Donncha O’Callaghan made a point in the team meeting about doing it for Jonny. He’s a Worcester man through and through,” said Alan Solomons, Worcester’s director of rugby.

“Last week I wanted him to have 40 minutes with Moseley and he said: ‘I’ve never ever worn anything but the Worcester jersey. I think I might wear it underneath.’

“He’s the ultimate club man. He’s a one-club guy and Donncha made the point that for the team, for the club and the supporters and for Jonny Arr we needed to play well today and get the win, which we did.”

Gloucester contributed a great deal to the entertainment but again failed to back up a resolute performance at Kingsholm, where they are unbeaten in the league this season, with a similar effort on the road.

Worcester matched their first-half aggression in attack with ferocity in  defence after the break and the more time Gloucester spent with ball in hand, the less likely they looked to score.

Gloucester squandered two golden opportunities to score in the last five minutes when they kicked penalties to the corner only for Motu Matu’u, who had a wretched second half as replacement for James Hanson, to overshoot his line-out jumpers.

“Worcester were the better side, they played exceptionally in that first half and we had to play catch-up. We played as if we had no patience with the ball. Our passes were not accurate, then at the end the line-out also cost us a chance or two,” admitted Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann.

“Any side that wants to be in the top half of this competition, it needs to be able to back up certain performances. You can’t just rely on playing well at home, which is where we let ourselves down today. The sun will shine tomorrow, and we have to get back on track. There is no use to sulk too much about it, and you have to give credit where credit is due. They were good.”

Gloucester responded to Arr’s try, from the base of a ruck, and a well-worked effort from Jamie Shillcock with an opportunist score from Matt Scott, who picked up after Bryce Heem had fumbled in defence.

But Gloucester undid their hard work when Henry Trinder was sin-binned for killing the ball and Worcester  exploited their numerical advantage by sending new Wales cap Josh Adams for his tenth try of the season.

Gloucester shaded the second half with Trinder crossing but Worcester would not let them gatecrash Arr’s comeback party.

Worcester are now 16 points clear of London Irish, who they face at the Madejski Stadium next Sunday in what is likely to be the relegation decider.

“By focusing game by game and by planning carefully and playing well we have put ourselves into a good position but we must retain our focus. We can’t afford to lose or focus,” Solomons said.

Scoring 

5-0 Arr try; 7-0 Pennell con; 7-3 Twelvetrees pen; 12-3 Shillcock try; 14-3 Pennell con; 14-8 Scott try; 14-10 Burns con; 19-10 Adams try; 22-10 Pennell pen; 22-15 Trinder try; 25-15 Pennell pen.