I have just seen the weather forecast, gales, torrential rain, plagues of frogs and any other sort of mad march conditions that can come out the sky; I am starting to get nervous.

Then I see the team, my nervousness increases. Don’t get me wrong, all 22 are good solid players deserving of their chances but look – Hazza, Alex, Sam Vesty, young Tom Youngs and Ben Pienaar they cant claim 80 minutes of 1^st team rugby between them in the last 2 months. So a third of our side is far from match fit. Worcester unchanged from last weeks away win at Sale, our recent indifferent form……, must remember to stock up on the Blood Pressure tablets this is going to be tough…..

So more in hope than expectation the day dawns, an uneventful trip down the M5 with no sign of the rain and frogs forecast but the wind is getting stronger.

Big welcome by the home crowd for Delport his 100^th Premiership appearance.

So off we go, Mr White’s whistle gets us underway and we have the delight of Mr Paul Dix running the line. He of the Sale game 2 weeks ago !.. so we really wont expect any lineouts within 20 meters of where the ball goes out !

BANG ! Wow…. Ellis is back and how ! straight from the kick off he explodes like a bullet off the back of the first ruck to charge down a ponderous Drahm clearance, Brett Deacon close behind scoops up and drops over the line. Goody converts 7 – 0, fifty seconds played.

Were playing into the teeth of an increasing gale so its the best possible start. If we can turn round within a score we will have a real chance.

No real pattern to the game yet but Deacon takes out Gillies at a lineout and Drahm knocks over the penalty from the half way.

Tigers set their stall out to keep the ball tight and make some progress driving round the fringes, high tackle on Pienaar just outside the Worcester 22 gives Goode a penalty chance. Andy’s obviously been getting tips from Humph’s cos he hammers this one with great power but I smacks against the left hand upright.

The wind is so strong now its increasingly difficult to force the play out of our half, any penalties conceded anywhere upto10 metres into the Warriors half given them a scoring chance.

Tigers run the ball back at Worcester out of our 22 but Alex and Tom Youngs collide on the centre spot and Chris White pings us for crossing. Up Steps Drahm 7 –6. 20 minutes in and its pretty much all square.

Tom Youngs catches a loose ball and goes on barrelling run but we turn over possession on the Worcester 22 and were kicked back 50 metres to our own 22. Another penalty at the break down but this time Drahm’s kick is whipped past the right hand upright by a swirling gust.

More strong play by the forwards in midfield and Goody darts through a half gap, almost inevitably its Crane in support and he takes it on to within 15 of the Worcester line. Quick hands down the line and warriors go offside for a penalty in front of the posts. 10 – 6

Were getting some control up front now and a fantastic run out of defence through Crane to Tuilagi; Brett Deacon cant quite hold on in the Worcester 22. Its fast and frenetic as Worcs run back the advantage first down the right then fast across the backs out wide left they blow a 4 on 1 overlap, Tom commits himself on Delport saves a certain try and could have gone 80 metres himself if he had held on.

7 Minutes to half time if we can just keep our noses in front but yet again its that short throw to the front of the line that does for us, into the Tigers 22, the ball goes left down the line then back right where its forwards on forwards and Rawlinson crashed over to the right of the posts. Drahm misses the conversion but we’re down for the first time in the match.

More control from the restart and a series of strong driving rucks and mauls from a line out earns another us another penalty. Goode converts and we go to the break 13 – 11 up

Its been a pretty controlled performance so far with our front 5 keeping the ball close and playing to the conditions. The scrum’s going well and Ellis is bossing the mauls. If we can use the wind it should be hard work for Warriors in the 2^nd half.

Worcester restart and the first 7 minutes are a nightmare. Alex almost steals the ball from a ruck on half way with a clear run to the line, but he knocks on. From the scrum Worcs drive into the Tigers half sweeping through the back line, there are as many missed tackles in midfield as missed passes and Garvey is clean away on the right 30 metres out. He beats Vesty’s cover tackle cuts under the posts, its 13 –18 with the Drahm conversion

Worse was to follow a poor kick into the Worcester 22 saw Delport run out of defence and Drahm put a huge high ball up the touchline which he did brilliantly to collect, his chip for the winger went loose and Rassmussen picked up to charge on putting Benjamin over in the corner.

Drahms conversion finished closer to the opposite 22 than the posts but a 12 point turn around and the crowd go into a frenzy.

With the rain now driving in on the wind Harry was replaced by Frank having shown enough of what we have been missing to leave us wanting more.

A really disjointed passage of play followed, Worcester contrived to hand us back the ball which in turn we did nothing with. Back to the forwards and some momentum with a rolling maul from half way brought us a penalty 40 meters out and on the left touch line. A real high risk kick that Andy made look easy.

Changes in the front row on the hour, as Mefin Davies and Stanko are replaced by Kayser and Ayerza. Worcs never really threatened again, content to defend a lacklustre Tigers attack which never looked likely to score.

Time and again the ball was driven on by the forwards, ruck after ruck making inches not yards. I really hope this isn’t the Marcelo way. How many times this season we have seen these ponderous drives that lack penetration and every time we have lost !

Into the last 10 and chasing the game, the pressure and the mistakes mount . Kaysers throwing goes awol and we lose lineouts and territory but one big effort lead by Cozza sends us deep into the Worcs half and they go offside again on the 22. Goode slots another difficult kick and its 19 –23.

Still in with a chance Tigers rally with the best play of the half. The forwards driving on down the left into the 22, penalty against Worcester for collapsing a maul and Hickey is sent to the bin. Goode kicks the penalty to the corner. The lineout is won but Worcs defend for their lives and turn the ball over.

Game over … 19 –23

A point but its really not enough. If we have any real ambitions this season we have to turn these games into victories. We have the best finisher in the Premiership and poor old Tom never saw the ball today. Young Ben Pienaar had a fine game and Tom Youngs did well but there were no real stand out performances.

Worcester had some big performances from Sanderson, Garvey, Rassmussen and the 2^nd row pair of Gillies and Rawlinson. The home crowd gave MOTM to Delport which was perhaps inevitable on his 100^th premiership outing but he was pushed close by Drahm.

For Tigers the seasons form player Jordan Crane was right up there and Goody was outstanding particularly after the 2 heavy knocks he took to head and back in the first half. Cozza’s loss to the back row far outweighs his effect in the 2^nd row.

No complaints though, 3 tries to 1 Worcester were good value for their win. But again this was a game we could… should have won. This Leicester side is not the 2007 vintage that went so close to an unheralded treble nor the unrelenting group that won 4 premierships on the bounce. A huge squad of talented players desperately seeking some direction. They will come good but perhaps not this season. Warriors will move onward and upwards to safety and it is the Tigers who are now left with the dogfight for one of the precious top 4 spots.

Step forward Mr Loffreda lets see what you can really do………..

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