HOOKER Ben Sowrey has likened his Aviva Premiership debut to a “baptism of fire” but believes he was ready for the occasion.

The Leeds-born player will always remember walking through the streets of Bath to the Recreation Ground for the festive fixture.

Sowrey fulfilled a childhood ambition when he stepped on to the field as a replacement for first-choice Worcester Warriors hooker Niall Annett.

“The Bath game just after Christmas was my first taste of Premiership rugby and it was fantastic,” he recalled.

“The level is just a bit better in the Premiership than the Championship – and everyone is 10 per cent better at everything.

“You are playing at the pinnacle and I suppose it was like a baptism of fire.

“You obviously question whether you think you are capable – that’s natural – but when you take a tackle or make a tackle you realise you can handle it and that’s how it played out.

“I felt comfortable and I didn’t feel out of my depth.

“It was a childhood ambition to play in the Premiership and I loved it.

“The ground at Bath was jam-packed and it had an amateur rugby club feel to it with the high stands.

“We walked through the city to get the ground. It’s something I will always cherish and remember.”

The 24-year-old Sowrey has had to bide his time since joining Warriors from Rotherham Titans in the summer of 2014.

He played eight times last season in Worcester’s British and Irish Cup campaign and featured just twice as a replacement in their Championship campaign.

But the door opened for Sowrey when Argentina skipper Gus Creevy left Sixways in the summer and Dan George broke a foot in pre-season.

“This season has been brilliant - everything I have been working towards,” said Sowrey.

“It’s really good to get a flavour of what it’s like in the Premiership and also with the European Challenge Cup stuff.

“I just want more of it now and I want to keep going in the same direction. I am very happy with how things are at the club.

“Last season, we had international experience with Gus Creevy and an experienced player in Dan George and it had its ups and downs but I had a lot to learn and it was fantastic from that perspective.

“Who is there better to learn from than Gus?

“Now we’ve got Jaba Bregvadze, a Georgian international, , so it’s great for an environment where people are thriving from the competition and we are striving for the same thing.”

Sowrey, who started his career with Leeds Carnegie before spells at Wharfdale and Doncaster Knights, is a former loosehead prop.

“Playing in the loose has always been my strengths and I enjoy that aspect of the game,” he said.

“I converted from loosehead prop three seasons ago so the set-piece element has been a big learning curve but I believe it’s only going to get better from this point.

“I have just broken into the Premiership and, with Dan George coming back from injury and I am happy to keep my head down and keep going as I am.

“I will take whatever game-time and experience comes my way and I am just happily to keep improving and playing well for Warriors.”