DIRECTOR of rugby Alan Solomons has urged his men to “step up” defensively as Worcester Warriors bid to overpower Bath in the Aviva Premiership at Sixways on Friday (7.45pm).

Warriors are in a rich vein of scoring form having crossed the whitewash 37 times in their last 10 games in all competitions.

They also became the first side to pick up a try-bonus point against Saracens in the league this season.

But Worcester still went down 46-31 to the high-fliers who racked up six tries at the Allianz Park last weekend.

And Solomons has now challenged his players to show they are just as difficult to break down as they are to stop.

“I think our defensive effort can step up and our kicking game can be much better,” Solomons said.

“Our kick execution was not where it can be as we can more systematic and I think we can defend better.

“I know we can as I have seen us.

“When we played Leicester they were inside our 22 right at the end and we just held them out. We need that kind of performance again.”

Second-from-bottom Warriors have the third worst defensive record in the Premiership having conceded 41 tries in 12 games.

“In my view everything is about balance as we should attack and defend with equal vigour,” Solomons said.

“I think the Northampton game was probably our best performance since I have been here as I thought we did exactly that.

“In a game of rugby the odds are that you will get the ball for 50 per cent of the time and the other team will get the ball for 50 per cent of the time.

“If you can put the same amount of energy into both attack and defence you are going to do well.

“By having a good balance we can make sure that we utilise that firepower without leaving anything behind.”

Warriors lost 29-13 to Bath at the Rec in October, but they saw off the Somerset side 25-19 thanks to tries from Josh Adams, Will Spencer and Wynand Olivier when they last met at Sixways.

Bath are sixth in the table but have lost their last two games against Sale Sharks and Wasps.

“The Premiership is pretty attritional,” added Solomons whose side are just three points off Northampton Saints.

“But the boys have worked well in training and are looking forward to this game.

“They know it is going to be tough as Bath are a quality outfit with some really good players.

“I think it will be played at quite a pace and we are going to have to be pretty much at our best to win.”