Grove tells Warriors there is no hiding from poor form

Scotland international Alex Grove has delivered a blunt assessment of Worcester's start to the Premiership season. The Warriors head to unbeaten Northampton today, having lost to Bath and Leicester before drawing with Gloucester.

They were denied victory in the Bath and Gloucester games by respective opposition goalkickers Olly Barkley and Freddie Burns booting a penalty and conversion in the dying seconds.

But Worcester centre Grove says sympathy is not what the Warriors squad are looking for. "Players have been brutal with each other when we are reviewing games and there's no hiding place for anyone. That is the only way we are going to move forward," he said.

"You can't pass the buck. Players are taking ownership for their mistakes and that is important. It is not about waiting for luck. It's about driving each other day in, day out in training. If you work hard in training you will get the rewards at the weekend. It's only a matter of time before we are the ones winning matches with the last kick of the game. The four points are what we want, not two for drawing or a bonus point for losing. We've got to close these games out."

Tributes will be paid to Ulster rugby player Nevin Spence at Franklin's Gardens along with all the other Premiership grounds.

The 22-year-old was killed, along with his father and brother, in an accident on the family farm in Northern Ireland last weekend. A minute's silence will be observed before all six games.

"After the devastating events of last weekend, it is entirely appropriate that the whole of the rugby world remembers Nevin and his family this weekend," Premiership Rugby rugby director Phil Winstanley said.

"In times like these rugby as a sport pulls together, and Premiership Rugby and all the Aviva Premiership clubs want to remember Nevin and show support for his family and for Ulster Rugby at this extremely difficult time."

Sale will also remember Greater Manchester Police officers Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone, who were killed on Tuesday.