WORCS
No.Name
15Chris Pennell, FB
2
3
14Bryce Heem, W
13Jackson Willison, C
12Ryan Mills, C
11Josh Adams, W
T
2
10Jono Lance, FH
9Francois Hougaard, SH
1Ethan Waller, P
2Jack Singleton, H
3Nic Schonert, P
4Donncha O'Callaghan, L
5Will Spencer, L
6David Denton, FL
7Samuel Lewis, FL
8GJ van Velze, N8
Replacements
16Joe Taufete'e, R
17Ryan Bower, R
18Gareth Milasinovich, R
19Darren Barry, R
20Alafoti Faosiliva, R
21Michael Dowsett, R
22Sam Olver, R
23Perry Humphreys, R

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Sixways
7:45 PM, December 22, 2017
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'+423-8 End of second half
81'+3Yellow card - Joe Taufete'e , Worcester Warriors
80'Irish drive towards the line, but are unable to get there and when Franco van der Merwe takes matters into his own hands he is turned over. Game over. A huge win for Worcester this, who are now 10 points clear of Irish at the halfway stage. It is difficult to see where Irish go from here. Their attack was just not good enough tonight, and their survival hopes look bleak.
80'Some late handbags as Worcester concede another penalty and Joe Taufete'e sees yellow for clearing Scott Steele before the replacement scrum-half had picked up the ball from the base of the ruck.
80'Oh no! Cowan dives over the line but he drops the ball before he can dot it down. A penalty was coming for offside, though, so they will have one last lineout.
80'Irish are five metres out. Can they give their fans something to cheer?
78'Worcester are now just happy to run the clock down. They know they've got this in the bag.
78'Substitute on - Perry Humphreys , Worcester Warriors
78'Player substituted - Jackson Willison , Worcester Warriors
75'A good break from Cokanasiga but he cannot find Lewington with the offload and the ball goes forward.
75'Player substituted - Filo Paulo , London Irish
75'Substitute on - Sebastian de Chaves , London Irish
73'Irish are just 10 minutes from the Worcester line but Marshall loses the ball forward in a collision with the impressive Adams.
71'Cowan update: The flanker is now positioned on the wing, with Cokanasiga in the centres.
69'Irish survive a period of pressure on their own line after Worcester kick another penalty -- this time for a Marshall high tackle -- to the corner. Their charge to the line looked inevitable but the visitors were able to dislodge the ball.
67'Meanwhile, the injuries are piling up for Irish and Cowan has been forced into the centres.
67'Substitute on - Max Northcote-Green , London Irish
67'Player substituted - Tommy Bell , London Irish
66'A great tackle from Sam Olver on Lewington, finished off by Ryan Bower and with the Irish wing isolated, the hosts win a penalty that they kick to the corner.
64'Substitute on - Alafoti Faosiliva , Worcester Warriors
64'Player substituted - David Denton , Worcester Warriors
64'Player substituted - Donncha O'Callaghan , Worcester Warriors
64'Substitute on - Darren Barry , Worcester Warriors
64'Player substituted - Jack Singleton , Worcester Warriors
64'Substitute on - Joe Taufete'e , Worcester Warriors
64'Substitute on - Ryan Bower , Worcester Warriors
64'Player substituted - Ethan Waller , Worcester Warriors
63'Irish try to inject some pace into their attack as they build towards the Worcester line. James Marshall attempts a crossfield kick towards Lewington but it is far too heavy and sails straight into touch.
59'Substitute on - Lovejoy Chawatama , London Irish
59'Player substituted - Petrus Du Plessis , London Irish
59'Substitute on - Harry Elrington , London Irish
59'Player substituted - Gordon Reid , London Irish
59'Substitute on - Tom Woolstencroft , London Irish
59'Player substituted - Saia Fainga'a , London Irish
59'Substitute on - Sam Olver , Worcester Warriors
59'Player substituted - Jono Lance , Worcester Warriors
59'Player substituted - Tom Fowlie , London Irish
59'Substitute on - Aseli Tikoirotuma , London Irish
56'Irish concede another penalty just as they start to enjoy some possession in the Worcester half. Cowan talks back to Barnes and the visitors are marched back another 10 metres. Worcester now have a lineout just outside the Irish 22.
54'Pennell puts the boot in, and Irish must now find two converted scores and a penalty -- at least -- to win this game.
54'23-8 Penalty goal - Chris Pennell , Worcester Warriors
54'Substitute on - Tommy Bell , London Irish
54'Player substituted - Greig Tonks , London Irish
53'A moment of madness from Tonks as he shoves Will Spencer after Barnes had awarded Irish a penalty. It hands Pennell a chance to stretch the Worcester lead.
51'Tonks fumbles a box kick from Adams and the Sixways crowd roars its approval. Irish have a mountain to climb at the moment.
50'Player substituted - Ben Meehan , London Irish
50'Substitute on - Scott Steele , London Irish
50'20-8 Penalty goal - Chris Pennell , Worcester Warriors
48'Worcester use the try brilliantly to make yards towards the the Irish line but after Hougaard and GJ van Velze are denied on the line, play ends with a penalty to the hosts.
47'The former Ireland international went down very easily from that Fainga'a 'slap'.
47'Tonks is forced to turn and cover by an excellent kick over the top. The Warriors chase is brilliant, and the hosts force the turnover before Fainga'a and Donncha O'Callaghan get involved in some handbags. TV replays show the latter grabbed the Australian's dreadlocks before Fainga'a slapped O'Callaghan in the face. Both get a talking to from referee Wayne Barnes.
45'David Denton burst through a whole in the Irish defence, but Heem is unable to secure quick ball and as the momentum of the move is sapped, the visitors secure a penalty.
41'We're back underway at Sixways, where Irish have 40 minutes to turn around their fortunes in this match and quite possibly their season too.
41'15-8 Try - Josh Adams , Worcester Warriors
41'+217-8 End of first half
41'+217-8 Conversion - Chris Pennell , Worcester Warriors
40'Pennell adds the extras, and Worcester have a nine-point lead at the break. Adams' two tries the difference between the sides at the break, the second having sapped Irish's momentum just as thought they'd found a way back into the match.
40'TRY! Worcester have a lineout in the Irish half with time in the red, one last chance to stamp their authority over the match -- ad they don't waste it. Adams picks a lovely line to take advantage of a training ground move. Anything Lewington can do...
40'17-8 Start of second half
38'TRY! AND WHAT A TRY!! The Irish attack appears to be losing momentum inside the hosts' 22 again as they go back to one-out runners. But Alex Lewington takes matters into his own hands, looping around on a mazy run before kicking through the Warriors defence. He takes advantage of a fortunate bounce to beat Adams to the ball and score. My word.
38'10-8 Try - Alex Lewington , London Irish
36'Brilliant from Cokanasiga! The young wing steps through a couple of Worcester tackles before offloading to Meehan who embarks on a slaloming run that takes Irish into the Worcester 22.
34'Penalty! Irish go through the phases and are up to the Worcester five-metre line before the hosts are pinged for being offside. This time Irish will take the three points.
34'10-3 Penalty goal - Greig Tonks , London Irish
32'Lance takes his eye of the ball as it comes back to them and is forced to scramble as the Irish defence swarms him, and wins the penalty. The visitors kick to the corner.
30'Wasted opportunity for Irish, who get a very good shove on at the scrum but the visitors lack ideas as the ball is handed to the backs with a penalty coming. Possession is kicked out on the full and we come back for the original penalty.
29'Another stoppage as the debutant Saia Fainga'a receives treatment. He looks to be in some considerable pain.

He got caught as Ethan Waller came in to clear out a ruck.
29'Substitute on - Filo Paulo , London Irish
29'Player substituted - Sebastian de Chaves , London Irish
28'A huge turnover secured for Worcester by Mills just as it looked like Irish had some momentum inside the Warriors half.
24'Cowan loses the ball forward as Irish build into the Worcester half, the Warriors regather the bouncing ball and launch a counter. As the move begins to lose momentum, Mills lofts a lovely kick towards the corner.
22'Pennell sends a penalty sailing over the posts and Worcester's lead is pushed to more than a converted score. They deserve it, but have not had to do much to build it.
22'10-0 Penalty goal - Chris Pennell , Worcester Warriors
19'But they are unable to get quick ball, allowing Worcester to push them backwards and ultimately win the penalty. Irish ran out of ideas very quickly there.
18'A Francois Hougaard kick is partially charged down and Irish have possession on the Worcester 22.
17'Substitute on - Sebastian de Chaves , London Irish
17'Player substituted - Filo Paulo , London Irish
16'A good shove from Irish but Worcester manager to get the ball out of a scrum close to their own 22, and manage to clear.
12'A stoppage in play as Nic Schonert receives treatment on halfway. The prop took a huge hit from Mike Coman and appeared to turn his ankle on the artificial surface.

The prop is eventually helped off the pitch, his evening's work is over.
12'Player substituted - Nic Schonert , Worcester Warriors
12'Substitute on - Gareth Milasinovich , Worcester Warriors
11'Joe Cokanasiga thinks he has a race to the line on his hands, but the tapped pass to him from Blair Cowan strayed forward. Scrum Worcester.
8'Irish enjoy a period of possession but it is slow and eventually Ben Meehan is forced to put boot to ball.
6'7-0 Conversion - Chris Pennell , Worcester Warriors
5'Adams has now scored in each of the Warriors' last five Premiership matches -- a club record.
5'TRY! A simple move off the back of a scrum and Ryan Mills chips in behind for Josh Adams to race onto and score. Far too easy.
5'5-0 Try - Josh Adams , Worcester Warriors
2'Jono Lance slips through the Irish tackles and momentarily finds himself in open space. But just as the home crowd rises to its feet, the fly-half drops the ball.
1'Worcester get us underway at Sixways and Ofisa Treviranus runs straight into the Warriors' chase.
1'How big is tonight's game? This big:
1'Hello and welcome to live coverage of London Irish's Aviva Premiership trip to Worcester.

Irish have lost Ben Franks and Fergus Mulchrone late on as they attempt to win their first match since the opening. Lose and they would be at least 10 points behind their hosts, but Worcester have never won a Premiership match over the festive period.
1'0-0 Start of first half