Leeds win sends Worcester down

Twelve points from the boot of fly-half Ceiron Thomas helped Leeds secure Guinness Premiership survival and condemn Worcester to relegation after a 12-10 win at Headingley Carnegie.

Thomas kicked four penalties during a dour opening 40 minutes to put Leeds 12-3 up, Willie Walker replying with a penalty of his own for Worcester having missed with an earlier attempt.

Walker then missed two kickable penalties early in the second stanza before Alex Grove crossed from a Matthew Jones chip to narrow the gap, but it wasn't enough for the Warriors as Jones saw his stoppage-time drop goal charged down to spark delirium among the Leeds faithful.

The defeat sees Worcester lose their top-flight status after a six-season stint in the Premiership and they could have few complaints as they were outfought by a hungry Leeds outfit.

The Sixways club have flirted dangerously close to the drop in each of the past three seasons but there will be no reprieve for them on this occasion, with their return of just three wins from 21 games leaving them with too much to do with only their final game against Gloucester to come.