PLAYERS VOTED ON WHETHER WORCESTER SHOULD PLAY ON

WORCESTER WARRIORS director of rugby Steve Diamond revealed his players held a vote on Friday over whether to go ahead with Saturday’s match against Newcastle Falcons.

The Sixways club face being suspended from all competitions tomorrow unless they can convince the Rugby Football Union they have a credible financial plan to continue.

It comes after weeks of turmoil surrounding an unpaid £6million debt to HM Revenue and Customs that is expected to force them into administration, with Worcester burdened by debts totalling more than £25m.

Worcester’s players put aside the off-field troubles with a brilliant 39-5 five-try thrashing of hapless Newcastle, with wings Alex Hearle and Duhan van der Merwe, scrum-half Gareth Simpson, replacement flanker Matt Kvesic and lock Joe Batley all crossing. Fly-half Billy Searle added the rest of Worcester’s points with the boot.

‘We had a vote yesterday whether to play or not. It was virtually unanimous that we played,’ said Diamond. ‘I gave them the option not to play because it is a big risk if we are going into suspension on Monday, but they said that their loyalty to the club made them determined to play. That is what I would be looking at if I was an investor.’