Gillies looks to climb the table

Buy photos » Craig Gillies is hoping Warriors can reignite their season with victory over Bath tomorrow (Saturday). Picture by Ian Smith.

LOYAL lock Craig Gillies is adamant Worcester Warriors can put a disappointing few weeks behind them and force their way back up the Aviva Premiership table.

Demoralising defeats to London Irish and Saracens in the LV= Cup, along with the failure to progress to the knockout stage of the Amlin Challenge Cup, has left Warriors with plenty to ponder ahead of the resumption of league action.

Although Gillies admitted the four weeks of cup competition had been more of a hindrance to Warriors’ first team players, he said they were determined to put things right when Worcester travel to Bath tomorrow (Saturday).

“The last four weeks have been different as we have been out of league action,” Gillies said.

“It is double edged because the LV= Cup and the European competition gives guys the chance to get freshened up, but it also halts the momentum as we were in quite a good place after some really good performances.

“Bath are just above us so it is a big game for us. We will obviously look back to the game we played against them earlier in the season when we just missed out, so there is a high importance to this game.

“It is important for everybody now to get their heads in the right place and step up the level of intensity.”

Preparations have also not been helped by news of the departures of home-grown stars Matt Mullan and Matt Kvesic.

But the 36-year-old, who is in his 11th season at Sixways, insisted Warriors will continue to stick together.

“It is not the first time and that is what makes it frustrating,” Gilles said.

“But it has not affected us. It is disappointing to lose talented players and especially players who have come through the academy system, but there are no hard feelings. Everyone in the club has 100 per cent certainty that when Kvesic and Mullan put on the shirt they will give their all until the end of the season.”

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