Warriors slip up ahead of Euro clash

SEVENTY-ONE points and nine tries were scored at Sixways last weekend, but Worcester Warriors, Connacht’s next opponents in the Challenge Cup, were unable to claim a vital win in their fight to avoid English Premiership relegation.

Connacht will line out at the English midlands venue tomorrow afternoon as they seek a spot in the European quarter-final, but it was only late tries from Joe Taufete’e and Perry Humphreys that brought respectability to the scoreline for the home side.

Only seven points separated the teams at half-time, but Bath pulled clear after the break to inflict a 10th league defeat of the season on the Sixways outfit.

Connacht currently lead Warriors by seven points in Pool 5 and will wrap up top spot with a win, while the other pool game between French clubs Oyonnax and Brive is a dead-rubber.

In the Top 14, Oyonnax showed their potential with a third draw of the season against the in-form, high-flying La Rochelle, as both teams split 76 points between them, but the two points did little to ease their fears of the drop as they now trail Agen by nine points after their win over Castres.

Brive are a point further ahead after they registered a 13-12 home win against Toulon. For long periods it seemed as if the kickers would decide this game, but a minute from time Benjamin Lapeyre scored a try, which was converted by Gaetan Germain to seal the priceless win.