Leeds rugby director Andy Key is relieved after the dramatic finale to their crucial Guinness Premiership victory over Worcester.
Whistle couldn't come soon enough says Leeds boss
Leeds rugby director Andy Key is relieved after the dramatic finale to their crucial Guinness Premiership victory over Worcester.
Leeds hung on grimly for the 12-10 win at Headnigley that secured their place in the top flight and condemned Worcester to relegation after six seasons of Premiership rugby.
"That final whistle couldn't come soon enough," said Key. "It was a case that we felt we were trying to lose the game and not win it.
"But thankfully our defence in that last 90 seconds was good enough to force an error from them and we'll just take the win."
All of Leeds points came from the boot of Ceiron Thomas during a dreary first half.
But the match burst into life when Alex Grove scored late in the game to set up a heart-stopping final 10 minutes that saw a stoppage time drop goal charged down by Neil Back's men.
Painful
Despite the Yorkshire club having defied the odds to avoid relegation, the head coach felt his side had produced a poor performance.
"It's not the way we wanted to win," said Back. "In terms of execution we were poor, but you can accept that as today was about winning.
"If we were to review that game it would be painful. We are better than that but we would take it."
Now they have secured survival the club will be able to build for next season, including bringing in several new faces.
"We can now look at who needs surgery, who needs a rest," added the former England flanker.
"And we can push some buttons on some great players who can come in and help us achieve our objective of being a top-half-of-the-table club."
Crushing blow
Worcester director of rugby Mike Ruddock refused to be drawn on his future following his side's relegation
Former Gloucester boss Dean Ryan has been linked with the top job at Sixways but Ruddock, who has one year left on his contract, would not be drawn on his future with the club.
"Who knows?" He said when asked if he would be staying.
"I will have a chat with the chairman (Cecil Duckworth) and see what he thinks, but today is just to reflect upon a game that has slipped away.
"We've just had a major disappointment and those are not the things I want to talk about and if I do want to talk about them, I will talk about them with the chairman."
Despite the crushing blow, former Wales boss Ruddock found time to pay tribute to the Yorkshire outfit.
Excellent
"Take nothing away from Leeds," he said. "It was an excellent win for them and they have picked up some big victories here.
"They battled for that victory but we scored the only try and we had the chances to win that game, and we missed a few kicks at goal.
"I could have done with my skipper (Pat Sanderson, who failed a late fitness test) really to see us through those final 10 minutes.
"That's been the story of the season. We have conceded fewer tries than Leeds and scored more tries than Leeds but they have closed out their wins.
"In 60% of the games we have lost this season we have been within seven points of the other side.
"The ability to go toe-to-toe with sides has been there but we have not been able to hold on for victories and keep collecting the wins and we paid the price today."
