It’s ten years to the day that Chris Pennell’s last-gasp strive, transformed by Ryan Lamb, secured Worcester Warriors a 30-30 draw with Bristol and an exhilarating 59-58 combination victory.
The Warriors, who’d misplaced simply thrice in 22 regular-season video games, two of which have been to Bristol, each by 4 factors, had made it third time fortunate once they grabbed a slim 29-28 first-leg win at Ashton Gate.
Nonetheless, Bristol have been in command within the return match, with tries from Jack Lam, Jack Tovey and Matthew Morgan giving them a 30-16 lead and placing the Premiership in sight for the primary time in six years, earlier than a penalty strive was awarded in opposition to them after which Pennell and Lamb mixed to interrupt their hearts.
Worcester had gained promotion through the Championship playoffs 4 years earlier, however this time round, it was a lot extra dramatic, because the Warriors have been additionally taken to the wire by Bedford within the semi-finals.
So what grew to become of the Worcester Warriors facet from that memorable night time beneath the floodlights at Sixways?
15: Chris Pennell: As soon as-capped England full-back and the son of late England fast-bowler Graham Dilley. Scored 43 tries in 253 Premiership video games for the membership. He’s now a surveyor with Worcester-based Clarke & Jay Chartered Surveyors.
14. Tom Biggs: England Saxons winger was Head of Energy and Conditioning for China Rugby and is now head coach of Thailand Rugby.
13. Alex Grove: The Scotland centre, whose grandfather Ron Wylie managed West Bromwich Albion, runs a property improvement agency, New Enterprise Housing.
12. Ryan Mills: England under-20 centre who performed for Waps and Sale Sharks and suffered harm issues earlier than retiring. Has labored in recruitment for Ernest Gordon Recruitment.
11. Cooper Vuna: A dual-code worldwide winger who completed his profession in France in June 2024. He’s now a expertise scout for the Melbourne-based sports activities administration agency Ginnen Group.
10. Ryan Lamb: The England Saxons fly-half began his teaching profession at Hartpury College and is now primarily based in Cornwall. Plymouth Albion’s head coach.
9. Jean-Baptiste Bruzulier: A lot-travelled scrum-half who continues to be enjoying for Rotherham Titans, the place he additionally acts as head of the membership’s Neighborhood Basis.
1 Val Rapava Ruskin: Georgian-born loosehead whose father, George, performed for Georgia. He’s nonetheless enjoying within the Premiership for Gloucester and is an completed artist.
2. Agustin Creevy: Former Pumas hooker, who celebrated his fortieth birthday in March final week, introduced that he was hanging up his boots after leaving URC outfit Benetton.
3. Nick Schonert: The Former South Africa A under-20 tighthead is at the moment enjoying in Japan for Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars after leaving Sale Sharks earlier within the 12 months.
4. James Percival: The previous England under-21 lock is now primarily based in Hautes Pyrenees, France, the place he completed his profession and is the managing director of CBD agency Big Gorilla.
5. Jonathan Thomas: Wales lock has coached at Bristol Bears, Worcester, Ealing Trailfinders, the WRU and The King’s Faculty in Gloucester.
6. Mike Williams: Zimbabwe-born fanker, who had spells at Exeter, Tub and Leicester earlier than ending his profession with Japanese minnows Kurita Water Gush Akishima. Now works as a gross sales affiliate with Bristol-based Globus Medical.
7. Sam Betty: The flanker is again in Cornwall, the place he’s the Director and Head Coach of Elevate Gum, a bespoke coaching facility in Truro.
8. GJ van Velze: South African No. 8, who captained the Warriors, is a accomplice in a luxurious footwear agency, Van Velze & Smith Leather-based, a enterprise he co-founded in 2020.
Replacements:
Niall Annett: Former Ireland under-20 hooker got here off the bench for Bath of their 2025 Challenge Cup Closing victory over Lyon in Cardiff.
Ryan Bower: Loosehead has coached for the RFU and Worcester’s Royal Grammar Faculty, is a scrum coach for Hartpury, and is the under-17s coach for Hartpury Faculty and Gloucester’s Academy.
Joe Rees: Wales under-20 tighthead is a Mortgage and Safety Dealer at Eastside IFS in his native Swansea, the place he began his profession with the Ospreys.
Leonardo Senatore: The Pumas back-rower went into teaching with Los Teros earlier than being appointed the Head Coach of Uruguayan facet, Peñarol, and has additionally acted as an assistant coach of the nationwide crew.
Jamie Shillcock: England A and under-20 full-back and fly-half. He’s at the moment enjoying for Leicester Tigers, however is becoming a member of Pro D2 outfit Brive this summer season.
Ravai Fatiaki: The Fijian centre, who additionally operated at fly-half, has served within the British Military as a Community Engineer within the Royal Corps of Alerts.
Ben Howard: The winger, who was a part of England’s 2013 Junior World Cup-winning squad, certified as a surveyor and is now an affiliate director of property consultancy JLL.
