Coaches Corner - February Update
So this is it, we officially hit the stage of the season we can class as the “run in”. 6 league games to go and in a really strong position to achieve our highest ever league finish for both the 1st and 2nd XV’s which would be the second season running. It’s been an outstanding season so far and there has been so much development across individuals around the squad and in our style of play as a whole. With an 11 point cushion over Belsize park in 3rd place we enter the run in with an excellent chance of finishing 2nd and maintaining pressure on Brunel who are odds on to finish in 1st place.
As a coach this is a tricky part of the season, the 6 Nations dictates the league fixtures and therefore we have a bit of a stop start month with only 2 games in February. Combine that with the weather wreaking havoc with the pitches and making it a challenge to train consistently it can be hard to maintain momentum. I must say the squad is coping with these challenges really well and I was so impressed with the way we conducted ourselves over at Grasshoppers in our last match to overcome a tricky opponent. I was really impressed with Grasshoppers, they know how to play their artificial pitch to good effect. They had a former England U20 world cup winner in their midfield and had some excellent forwards who could hit the line with great physicality and get the ball away in the offload. We had to work really hard to contain them and it must have been an entertaining watch for any neutral because at times it was end to end stuff. It’s the type of game that last season probably wouldn’t have gone our way but we showed real grit and determination along with some good game management in the closing stages to seal the victory.
On the training ground it’s really a period of maintenance. Make sure that we improve in our core areas and as always in coaching you find yourself going back to things that you maybe haven’t focussed on for a few weeks as the lads forget things you think are already nailed in. For us at the moment it’s our defence, we want to be incredibly hard to score against as we know we have the firepower to do damage when in possession. Little tweaks that will get us back to the standards that we showed pre-christmas where we are comfortable without the ball for multiple phases. We also need to keep on top of and improve our fitness levels as we head towards potential play offs. Close games will be decided by the teams who have the greater conditioning and who can think with clarity in the closing moments. Should we also find ourselves in a position where 1 or possibly 2 teams are playing in a higher league then this is an area where all our players can make significant gains.
Our 2nd team takes on A&C today in what is a pivotal clash at the top of their Counties 2 league. Selection for that squad has been incredibly difficult as it’s a game that everyone wants to play in. Trying to balance picking a team that we believe can win with rewarding those that have been training and consistently making themselves available is tough. I’m sure we won’t always get it right but the quality of conversation that we have in selection meetings on a Tuesday after training gives me faith that we are trying to do things in the right way. I’m incredibly grateful to Nick who puts in so much effort away from the training pitch to manage his squad and have conversations with those who may feel hard done by. The reality is that should we go on to win the league then it will have been a group of circa 50 lads that have contributed to that success not just the 20 that have been picked for a given match day.
For the 1st XV we welcome London Irish Wildgeese back to the club. They always travel with such wonderful support and create a great atmosphere on the touchline. Having struggled for much of the season they have won three out of their last four besting Harpenden, Belsize and Aylesbury. Clearly a side not to take lightly and one that is still fighting to pull away from the relegation play-off places. Being towards the top of the league means there is always a target on us so we will need to be close to our best if we are to come away with the points we need on Saturday.
It’s an exciting period for the club with the 1’s and 2’s doing so well and a huge shoutout to our Colts who suffered a narrow loss last weekend against A&C. It’s so often in close defeats that we learn valuable lessons and I'm sure they will bounce back as an even stronger squad. We are so proud of them as a club and excited about the future senior players who will be coming through in the next few years.
Finally for this week, there was another memo circulated from England Rugby and the referees society this week. I believe we have taken massive steps forwards as a club in the way we welcome and create a positive environment for the referees who come to Windsor End. It’s such a shame that referees who give so much time to make sure our game can happen experience things on a weekly basis that make them consider whether it is worth it. I won’t proclaim myself as someone who is immune to the frustration of a referee's call but to me it’s no different to the mistakes that a player makes on the field. Players' decision making is likely to be far better when playing in a calm and supportive environment (as much as a rugby game can be) and I believe that is true for the referees as well. We have some wonderful referees in our leagues and our societies and many who stay at the club, put money over the bar and engage in our community. In over 20 years of coaching I still don’t think there has been a single referee performance that has cost the teams I coach a game. I always try to look back at the missed opportunities from the players themselves because those are the areas I can control and help the players to become better at as a coach. I do believe we are a great club to come to but a good reputation is a fragile thing. Let’s all recognise the part we play in being a leading light for welcoming players, supporters and refs from all over.
That’s it from me. 4 home games to go. Free up your diaries and come down and drive the lads on with a brilliant atmosphere.
See you Saturday.
Russ