DIRECTOR of rugby Alan Solomons highlighted Worcester Warriors’ “aggression” to see off local rivals Gloucester 25-15 in their Aviva Premiership tussle.

Tries from Jonny Arr, Jamie Shillcock and Josh Adams in the first 20 minutes guided Warriors to victory at a sold-out Sixways on Saturday.

Tom Scott also struck in a frantic opening quarter before Henry Trinder crossed the whitewash in the second period.

But Warriors held firm with an impressive defensive effort as the win saw them move 16 points clear of the drop zone with seven games left.

Solomons was delighted to follow up last week’s stunning 6-5 success at champions Exeter Chiefs with another win.

“The big thing for us was to back up what was a massive game last week,” Solomons said.

“I thought we played some really good rugby in the first half.

“Both sides fell away in the second half because the lineouts for both sides didn’t operate well so the game lost a bit of rhythm.

“But the important thing for us was to get the win.”

Warriors have struggled to stop teams from getting over the try-line this season but they shut out Exeter in the closing moments at Sandy Park.

And Solomons was thrilled by the way his side managed to keep an “unpredictable” Gloucester side quiet as the Cherry and Whites went home empty handed.

“We talk about playing balanced rugby and attacking and defending with equal vigour and I think we did that in that game,” Solomons said.

“In the first half we attacked with vigour and then in the second half we defended with vigour.

“Exeter are a fantastic side, but they are very structure, very efficient and a very well-drilled machine.

“Gloucester play a little bit differently.

“They are a bit more unpredictable and they push the envelope as far as their attack is concerned.

“We were aware of that and we did our homework on them as they would have done on us.

“In the last two weeks our defence has been absolutely fantastic and that’s the point we have made to the players.

“You need to have the same attitude and aggression to attack and defence.

“Aggression is the fuel of rugby.”

Gloucester boss Johan Ackermann conceded Warriors were the “better side” and was frustrated with his team’s lack of accuracy.

“Our passes were not accurate and then at the end the lineout maybe cost us an opportunity or two to score,” Ackermann added.

“But on the whole the performance was just not good enough if we want to be competing at this level so this is a big lesson for this group.

“Any side that wants to be in the top half of this competition needs to be able to back up certainly performances.

“You can’t just rely on playing well at home and that’s where we let ourselves down.

“Last week we were had 100 per cent success at the lineout whereas on Saturday we lost them and that’s down to accuracy.

“At the start of the game Worcester attacked well so we have got to give them credit but there was a softness in our defence which we didn’t show last week.

“That’s down to the mental approach you go into the game with.”