EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP: Worcester 25 Viadana 7

Worcester may have secured their first victory at Sixways this season but director of rugby John Brain was less than pleased with the performance on Saturday.

His side scored five tries against Italian visitors Viadana to kick off their European Challenge Cup campaign but Brain thinks the margin of victory should have been greater.

"I didn't feel we were clinical enough," he said. "We started extremely well but lost our shape going into half-time. I think we should have finished off those chances.

"I think the players were disappointed after the match because we felt that the score could have been a lot bigger."

Warriors made the perfect start, taking the lead after seven minutes when they set up a driving maul from which prop Lee Fortey touched down.

Aisea Havili doubled their advantage shortly afterwards when he put the finishing touches to a fine break from Mark Tucker.

A bit of individual skill from scrum-half Ryan Powell gave Worcester their third try of the match with less than a quarter-of-an-hour gone.

"We talked about improving our discipline and being more clinical when we were in their '22'," said Brain. "We did that and came away with three tries."

Viadana reduced the deficit to eight points at half-time, thanks to a converted try from Kaine Robertson but it didn't take long for the hosts to assert their superiority in the second-half.

Two catch-and-drives resulted in tries for Chris Horsman and the excellent Tom Harding.

Worcester's cause was not helped by the fact James Brown missed all five conversion attempts, albeit from difficult angles and in a swirling wind.

Late on in the game, Worcester flanker Gavin Quinnell was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Viadana lock Quintin Geldenhuys but the hosts held on for a win which puts them in pole position in pool five.

"I think we were capable today of putting far more points on them than we did," said Brain. "The only positive was our forwards mauled three tries over and that is something we have worked on in training this week, getting more clinical from short-range line-outs. That was very pleasing, all the forwards worked extremely well.

"I think we could have been a lot more clinical and I think the players know that. That is why they were disappointed in the changing room afterwards."

Brain left out captain Pat Sanderson because he expects the flanker to be with England for most of next month and wanted to assess his other back-row options.

"The issue with Pat is I'm anticipating not having him around for much of November," said Brain. "The fact is we need to have a look at the other back row options that we have got.  I thought Tom Harding was quite rightly man-of-the-match. He was outstanding.

"Kai Horstmann did his usual workmanlike job and James Collins did extremely well when he came on."