Rotherham 7-47 Worcester: Warriors youngsters get job done

Ryan's Worcester, bottom of the Premiership in 2013-14, have won four of their first five Championship games

Worcester Warriors coach Dean Ryan praised his young side after they produced their best display of the season so far to win 47-7 at Rotherham.

Georgian prop Val Rapava-Ruskin weighed in with two of Warriors' six tries, while centre Andy Symons, winger Sam Smith, flanker Matt Cox and lock Darren O'Shea also crossed the whitewash.

"I'm just really proud we came here and got a job done," Ryan told BBC Sport.

"Just by the uniqueness of the venue, it's one of the really tough grounds."

Intermingled with three penalties from Ignacio Mieres, who also converted all four of his side's first-half tries, Worcester led 37-0 at the break and were already well on their way to a fourth straight Championship win.

It was over half an hour before they scored again, just a minute after the introduction of loose forward Mat Gilbert, the day's second debutant following the introduction of academy winger Perry Humphreys.

Cox scored his first try since returning to the club, unconverted by Mieres, before Rotherham hit back with a late try from centre Jamie Broadley, converted by Michael Keating.

But Warriors had the final word, going over again with a catch and drive which brought a first try for the club from second-row forward O'Shea.

"Considering we've got 10 or 11 experienced players not in this group, to be honest, I felt a little bit vulnerable," added Ryan. "I didn't know if we had enough in the tank, experience wise, to come here and manage that.

"There was wind and rain coming in and it wasn't a day for running backline moves. We talked about being clinical, not trying to over impress and just nailing down the points, so I'm incredibly proud of them as a group. It's reinforcing why we're pushing these youngsters into the front."

To supplement a Worcester side missing several injured players, including stand-off Ryan Lamb and England full-back Chris Pennell, Warriors are about to be reinforced by the return of Argentina internationals Gus Creevy and Leonardo Senatore.

Creevy skippered Argentina to their historic first-ever victory in the four-team southern hemisphere Rugby Championship on Saturday, while lock forward Senatore crossed for one of the tries as the Pumas beat Australia 21-17.

Rotherham Titans: Scanlon; Broadley, Roberts, Harris, Keating; McKinney, White; Hislop, Cruse, Tampin, Morris, Holmes (capt), Birch, Preece, Rieder.

Replacements: Ryan, Williams, Macklin, Parker, J Davies, A Davies, Barrett.

Worcester Warriors: Howard; Smith, Stelling, Symons, Humphreys; Mieres, Mulchrone; Rapava-Ruskin, George, Daniels, Sanderson, O'Shea, Cox, Betty, Van Velze (capt)

Replacements: Annett, Rees, Bower, Gilbert, Arr, Eden, Fatiaki.