Matu’u sent off as Irish lose discipline in Worcester loss

As the Premiership’s relegation picture grows increasingly congested, any win is to be savoured and Worcester can now start looking up after this success.

Buoyed by their first sell-out crowd since April 2018, a raucous Sixways saw the Warriors punish an ill-disciplined London Irish to claim their fourth league victory.

Worcester were already in control when Irish prop Allan Dell was shown a yellow card for a late hit on Francois Hougaard at a ruck. Then Motu Matu’u threw his head into Duncan Weir’s face, flooring the Worcester fly-half, leaving him with damaged teeth.

Referee Ian Tempest consulted the television match official over both incidents and issued yellow and red cards respectively. Weir already has a metal plate in his face and Worcester director of rugby Alan Solomons said: “Duncan’s lost a couple of teeth. He’s tough, though. He’s from Glasgow.”

A penalty from Stephen Myler gave the visitors an early lead, but Worcester’s vibrancy was rewarded in the 17th minute when Weir collected possession and ran through a gap to score.

Weir converted and added two penalties to make it 13-3 before Dell and then Matu’u were punished for the late challenges on Hougaard and Weir.

Myler’s second penalty shortly after the interval cut the lead to seven and caused a nervousness in the home stands as the contest grew scrappy.

That changed when Ashley Beck broke inside the right channel and his neat inside pass found Hougaard, who sent the supporting Jono Lance racing clear. Lance added the conversion.

Irish director of rugby Declan Kidney said of Matu’u’s dismissal: “The due process will take place and we will see what happens. But I wouldn’t have a bad word to say about the boys today.” Scores 0-3 Myler pen, 5-3 Weir try, 7-3 Weir con, 10-3 Weir pen, 13-3 Weir pen, 13-6 Myler pen, 18-6 Lance try, 20-6 Lance con Worcester C Pennell, P Humphreys, A Beck, R Mills, T Howe, D Weir (J Lance 53), F Hougaard (M Heaney 60), C Black (R Bower 73), M Moulds, N Schonert (R Palframan 37), A Bresler (M Fatialofa 62), G Kitchener, T Hill, S Lewis, C du Preez (G-J van Velze 57). Sin-bin: Pennell. London Irish A Veitokani, B Tuatagaloa (J Stokes 69), C Rona, T Stephenson, O Hassell-Collins, S Myler, N Phipps (B Meehan 57), A Dell (H Elrington 50), M Matu’u, L Chawatama (O Hoskins 50), F van der Merwe (S Mafi 66), A Coleman, M Rogerson (S Fainga’a 35), B Cowan, A Tuisue. Yellow card Dell (31). Sent Off Matu’u. Referee Ian Tempest.