And he insisted all were still in the running for their Heineken Cup showdown with Perpignan next week.

Booth said: "Competition for places is what we want at this level.

"A lot of our players have put their hands up today.

"We've got some decisions to make for next week but that's a headache you like to have."

Despite praising the team as a whole, Booth also singled out Argentina centre Gonzalo Tiesi who was making his first start of the season.

He added: "Gonzo was deservedly man of the match - he distributed well and carried the ball well and that took the pressure off a lot of the other boys.

"His performance in attack was very encouraging.

"Overall I thought we had plenty of width and plenty of pace and that is how we are looking to play."

The Exiles and Warriors produced a display of free-flowing rugby that defied the conditions and led to a thrilling spectacle for the Madejski Stadium crowd.

With neither side able to advance in the competition the pressure was lifted and two makeshift sides responded in style with a 12-try classic.

Irish notched seven through Richard Thorpe (two), centres Tiesi and Nils Mordt, Sailosi Tagicakibau, Steffon Armitage and Warren Fury.

But Worcester, who were always trailing, responded with five of their own through Will Bowley (two), wingers Miles Benjamin and Marcel Garvey, and Kai Horstmann.

Warriors coach Mike Ruddock admitted the game registered high on the entertainment scale but bemoaned his side's defensive frailty.

Ruddock said: "Defensively we are very disappointed to concede as many tries as we did.

"The try just before half-time was a big blow to us and we never got back into it.

"We were always playing catch-up and things got very loose in the second half."

The former Wales boss insisted things will be different when the sides clash in the Guinness Premiership later this month.

He added: "We are back here in the league in a few weeks and the game will not be anything like that - I promise you."