Relegation talk inspires Warriors underdog spirit
HARD-CARRYING Worcester flanker Marco Mama says predictions that his side are favourites to be relegated from the Premiership only serve to fire up the Warriors – so much so that he wants the predictions to be repeated.
While the Warriors began the season as many pundits’ chief candidate for demotion, their thumping 52-7 Premiership win over Bristol last month prompted some to retract their prediction.
However, Zimbawean Mama says he and the rest of the squad are more than happy to hear media forecasts of Worcester’s impending relegation.
“We love that! If you guys can keep saying we’re the underdogs we’d really appreciate that because that’s inspiration to us,” he told The Rugby Paper.
“Every time we hear a reporter or commentator say ‘Worcester are the team that everyone thinks is going to go down this year’, we think: bring it on. We love that.
“So you guys keep doing your thing and we’ll try and keep proving you wrong.”
Mama has been troubled by a tight hamstring since his man-of-the-match display in the big over Bristol, but is expected to be fit for the Warriors’ trip to Bath on Saturday when the Premiership resumes after the recent break for Cup action.
And former Bristol back rower Mama says Worcester will need to continue with the type of attacking brio they showed against Bristol if their Premiership campaign is to be a success.
“We’re best when we move the ball. You make the defence make decisions and that’s when the holes open up,” he said.
“We’re a full-court team: we can carry through you, we can go around you, and that’s really what threatens teams.”