Worcester boss Mike Ruddock admitted "it is nice to be top" after his side beat Leeds to mount the Guinness Premiership summit .
Warriors boss delighted with 'energetic performance'
Worcester boss Mike Ruddock admitted "it is nice to be top" after his side mounted the Guinness Premiership summit with victory over Leeds.
The Warriors bounced back from their narrow defeat to Northampton the previous week with a 27-7 success at Sixways.
Fly-half Willie Walker kicked 17 points and centre Alex Grove and wing Marcel Garvey scored tries, and Ruddock admitted the win was the perfect response.
"We've had a reasonable start to the season," said Ruddock. "We could have won at Northampton last weekend, and we've won tonight without hitting full throttle.
"It is nice to be top, even to be there fleetingly, but the most important thing was our performance.
"We needed to back up a passionate and energetic performance at Northampton last weekend, and that is what we did.
Rattled
"It is a little bit disappointing we didn't press home our advantage in the last 20 minutes, but Leeds didn't give up. They are a tough bunch and they kept plugging away."
Leeds silenced the home fans with a slick first-half try from former rugby league centre Jonny Hepworth, while ex-England scrum-half Andy Gomarsall used his vast experience to good effect, but Worcester ultimately proved too organised.
The visitors are now sweating on an elbow injury suffered by their skipper Marco Wentzel, who went off at half-time.
"We scored an early try and got off to a good start. Overall, we were pleased with the first-half," said Leeds head coach Neil Back.
"But Marco Wentzel picked up his injury very early, and it affected our set-piece.
"The message at half-time was clear - to do the basics better and minimise the mistakes - but unfortunately, three kicks and a try took them 24-7 clear.
"The positives are that we finished in the last 20 minutes really strongly - we had them rattled.
"But there is massive disappointment among the players because they know they didn't play to their full potential."
