Worcester win Premiership Rugby Cup with most tries after extra time

Worcester won a dramatic Premiership Rugby Cup final on tries scored after extra time against London Irish. Kyle Hatherell’s last-gasp try after the clock had passed 80 minutes sent the match into an extra 20 minutes after Irish had looked set to win the trophy. Paddy Jackson kicked 20 points with a perfect seven kicks before missing four penalty chances, including three in extra time. Neither side managed to add to their totals in extra time, giving Worcester their first ever top-flight trophy with three tries to Irish’s one. Matt Kvesic gave Worcester the lead after both sides had scored early penalties, before Exiles scrum-half Ben White touched down to level the score. Jackson gave Irish the lead shortly before half-time with his third penalty from three. But the lead was short-lived as Perry Humphreys ran into the left corner with the clock running out, before Smith missed the conversion to leave the match finely poised at half-time, 18-16. Warriors thought they had made the perfect start to the second half, with captain Ted Hill taking advantage of a loose pass from Jackson on the halfway line to charge through with the Irish defence chasing. But the try was disallowed by the TMO for a knock-on by Francois Venter before the ball reached Hill. Three more Jackson penalties extended his 100% record in the match and gave the Exiles a seven-point lead as the game swung back in their favour entering the final 15 minutes. But the fly-half missed his first penalty kick with six minutes to go to give Warriors hope of a late comeback. Irish looked to have a hand on the cup as the tie reached 80 minutes but Worcester had other ideas, attacking the tryline before Hatherell finally drove over to force extra time. With pressure mounting in front of the mainly London Irish crowd, Jackson’s accuracy left him as he missed three chances to secure the win in extra time, with Worcester winning on tries scored and lifting the trophy in front of their travelling fans. Supporters of both clubs saluted their players after a physical, ruthless and captivating final in Brentford. This was a spectacular showcase for a competition widely regarded to be primarily a chance to develop upcoming talent. The lead changed hands five times in total as the advantage swung wildly in a game that was impossible to call. Jackson, the top scorer in the Premiership, was in imperious form for the Exiles as every kick sailed through the posts as he continued his excellent form this season. Hatherell’s equalising try could not have come any later as Worcester threw wave after wave of attack with Irish defending their tryline. And as the crunch moments came, so did the misses for Jackson as both sets of fans held their breath for some huge moments in extra time. For Irish, it was a crushing end to a final in their home stadium and for Worcester it was a day to savour as their long wait for a first top-flight trophy was ended in remarkable fashion. “Right now it’ll hurt and that’s part and parcel of the learning curve for younger players. “Tonight wasn’t about learnings, it was about trying to win a trophy. We’ve done OK to reach the final and it’s disappointing but we’ll have to learn from that. “Some days they go for you and some days they don’t and Paddy (Jackson) has been fantastic for us all season and he continues to do so.” “There’s quite a lot of relief in there, in that last 20 minutes of extra time we didn’t really have the ball. “Paddy Jackson wasn’t kicking very well at that point and we just about held on at the end. “I’m pleased for everyone at the club because all the fans at the end (celebrating with the players) just shows what it means to the whole club.”

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