EXPERIENCED campaigner Phil Dowson says he can’t attribute Worcester Warriors’ defensive woes to just one thing.

The stand-in captain believes “it’s different things” and “different players” who have contributed to Warriors shipping the most points in the Aviva Premiership.

Second-from-bottom Worcester crashed to a 55-19 defeat at M5 derby rivals Gloucester last Saturday.

They have now conceded 409 points – 18 more than basement boys Bristol.

And Dowson admits there are “some big decisions coming up” from Warriors’ coaching set-up.

Asked why Warriors had struggled defensively this term, Dowson replied: “It’s different things, different players and not just one guy.

“There are lots of things happening when we are under pressure and we need to make sure we plug those gaps.

“The most important thing is we learn from the experience (at Gloucester).

“It should be an intensive next four weeks.”

Warriors travel to French side Brive in the European Challenge Cup this Saturday.

They are next in Premiership action against defending champions Saracens at Sixways on February 11.

Dowson said: “There is no time for licking wounds or worrying about it.

“We have to get back on the horse and show honesty in training and get stuck into each other.

“We have to pull it out of the bag and fight to get up the league.

“I am looking to play every week.

“There are some big decisions coming up and a lot of analysis – not just from the Gloucester game - but what has been going wrong in the past.

“We need to look forward and if that means we run the same squad in Brive then that’s what we will do.”

Dowson, 35, has skippered the side at times in the absence of club captain Gerrit-Jan van Velze, including the thrashing at Kingsholm.

He described Warriors’ second-half display against Gloucester as a “capitulation” and “embarrassing”.

“We conceded early (against Gloucester) but loads of sides concede early and come back and score,” said Dowson.

“We created opportunities in the first half but we didn’t taken them and went in at half-time 24-7 down.

“We thought there were opportunities to turn it around but it was more or less a capitulation in the second half.

“No disrespect to Gloucester because they are a great side and capitalised and were very clinical but we were not.

"It was embarrassing. I felt like I had let my team-mates down and I think everyone felt like that.”