Last weekend was a great occasion at the Ricoh and the players and I would like to thank our travelling supporters for spending their hard-earned cash to come and cheer the team on. Wasps are a formidable outfit and despite our early lead were always going to be a tough nut to crack. It did give our boys a taste of the big time and it can only be a positive experience for our younger players.

The European Cup is a marvellous tournament and it is fantastic for the GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP that three English clubs made the semis and it is an all English final for the first time. It is curious to watch the centrally contracted Irish struggle to perform and look under prepared for the championship stages of the competition and the French stumble after two months off. The Premiership may not be the most highly skilled league in rugby but it is the most competitive.

It is a very sad week for the club following the passing of the legendary Don White. I am far less qualified than some at the club to make comment on the man himself save to say that his accomplishments speak for themselves.

I know that today is nerve wracking for everyone and the televisions and mobile phones will be on to keep up to date with events at Sixways, but let us not forget that our opponents today have already hit their target for the season in finishing sixth and as such will play with freedom. With the quality they have in attack we will have to be on our guard. Congratulations should go to them on another good season lead by Brian Smith.

Finally may I take this opportunity to thank you for your support this season under testing circumstances, your feedback, both positive and negative is appreciated and your continued support of the team is incredible. We will do our utmost to get a result today and hope that things go our way elsewhere. It would be incredible if we could stay in the Premiership after the year we have had and you, at least, deserve nothing less.