Worcester story is 'unique and special' - Everard

Worcester Warriors head coach Matt Everard hailed a "unique and special" season after a thrilling last-gasp Champ Rugby play-off final win over Ealing.

The Warriors finished fourth in their first season back in professional rugby after going out of business in 2022, and faced a daunting task against a side who had topped the table with 26 wins out of 26.

Trailfinders looked to have extended their 100 percent league record when Dan Jones' try put them ahead with just a minute left.

But in an extraordinary finale, winger Jake Garside raced in with the final play of the match to seal a place in the final against Bedford Blues.

"That togetherness at the end, that absolute belief in the group, the huddle under the posts when we conceded that last try," Everard told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"To have the belief, the clarity and the talent to go and do that at the end, I'm just incredibly grateful to and proud of the players.

"They [Ealing] turned the screw a little bit, particularly that last 20 minutes, but the players didn't lose belief.

"I think they always knew the plan and that if we imposed our game on Ealing we could score tries and that happened again at the end."

Worcester rebuilt a squad from scratch last summer and have already begun recruiting heavily for next season.

The club have also had plans approved for a major redevelopment of their Sixways home, but needed a final-day win over Chinnor to claim the final play-off spot, finishing 40 points behind Ealing.

"I think it's special, and I think it's different," Everard added.

"You don't have many teams that have gone and then come back again, so what we're doing is unique and special in sport and in rugby, and it is for the fans as well.

"To have something they care about so much taken away and then come back and cheer them on in semi-finals like today is very unique and very special."

Everard insists that, as in the semi-final, they will go into Sunday's final as the underdogs against Bedford who finished the season in second, 10 points clear of the Warriors.

"Bedford have beaten us twice this season, it's at their place so they'll be out-and-out favourites, but we have a lot of belief in the group.

"We're going to give it absolutely everything, like we've done all season."