Coaches Corner
What a brilliant couple of weeks it has been since I last wrote this preview.
I will begin with our 1st XV who had an excellent away win at Harpenden on Saturday. I’m very familiar with Harpenden having spent time coaching Tring who were local rivals (the polite term for their feelings towards one another) so was intrigued to see what they were like having come down to level 6 this season. From what I had seen previously they were a solid mid-table level 5 side so it was a surprise when they entered our league.
The first half was a disappointing 40 minutes. Harpenden scored early and although the game looked fairly even we could never establish control and phases as we kept making strange decisions in areas where we really wanted to relieve pressure. We had some really positive moments and got a couple of tries but through our own errors Harpenden enjoyed plenty of time in our half. The half time whistle went and the scores were close with the hosts leading 15-12. We talked at half time about areas we wanted to improve on, in particular about how momentum is built through us doing really simple things well time and time again, not through an individual going off-script and trying to do something heroic. The 2nd half started more promisingly but our progress was halted through a yellow card (we got tangled up in the lineout and their player came down awkwardly) and during this time they managed to score some points. After that 10 minute spell though we went to another gear. As our superior fitness shone through we played some of the best attacking rugby we have displayed during my time at the club. We played to space well and some of the interplay between forwards and backs was outstanding. Our half backs Stan Ridout and Owain Griffiths were integral to the pace and accuracy of our play. The tries started flowing and we ended up winners 29-46.
A really strong performance away from home which surely will breed confidence in the boys of what they could be capable of achieving this season.
A final mention for the referee who I thought managed the game exceptionally well. He was a strong communicator and had plenty of composure and empathy for the game. His intervention in the game was minimal and this allowed both sides to try and play an entertaining brand of rugby.
On top of that result we had word come through from Windsor End that the 2nd XV had beaten Risborough RFC 60-20 which cemented their place at the top of their league. Now Risborough always looked like a game we should be winning but to do so in such commanding fashion is a step forward for the team. The quality of the squad has definitely gone up a few levels since last season and they are beginning to play with a bit of swagger. New players such as Ryan Lynch, George Rowlands and Will Maddox are making a real impact on top of the quality we already had. The real story of the 2’s was the weekend before when they won away against Maidenhead 2’s. In an incredibly windy game the cannon of Ross Ritchie dominated the match and we were able to secure a victory against one of the teams that before the season most would have suggested would be one of the favourites. The 2’s attention now turns to beating local rivals A&C at their place this weekend and I am positive that under the expert guidance of Nick “Vamos” Martin and Kwong Lin the 2’s will head into a period without any matches (4 weekends, crazy scheduling!) in first position.
The Colts had a different experience last weekend, losing in the final stages of the game to Hungerford. To experience that after the jubilation of their victory against Reading the week before can be heartbreak but I know once they get back onto the training field and begin to put in the work necessary to improve this Hungerford result will be something they can look back on as something that defined their season. Losing at the end of the game is never easy, the challenge is not to look at that final moment but to look at all the other missed opportunities in the 80 minutes that could have made the result more comfortable. This group of young men are doing an amazing job at representing the club and we are excited to see their progress over the upcoming months and years.
So, this weekend for the 1st XV. We face Grasshoppers who are sitting 9th in the league table. They have had a tough start but after two close games last season I am sure they will want to come to our place and make a statement. In terms of selection we have won four in a row now so other than for injuries it would be easy to stick with what has been working. The success of the 2’s though does mean there are a number of lads that are banging on the door pretty firmly to be given an opportunity to see if they can step up and contribute. Combine that with some 1st XV regulars who are either coming back from injury or unavailability and suddenly we have some squad management to consider. Are we in the business of just picking our best 15? How do we reward the players who have been excelling in the 2’s? Do boys who have been missing through unavailability or coming back from injury need to work their way back into the 1st XV? Selection is one of the hardest areas to get right as a coach because it is never black and white. We have a set of criteria that we try to work towards and hopefully that steers us in the right direction more often than not. Whatever happens I know we will have 18 players who are ready to go and represent the club in the best possible way.
I am going to leave it there for now. I wish the Panthers best of luck in their game on Saturday against A&C. Two wins against Chiltern certainly would be a good weekend!
I hope to see plenty of you on the touchlines, we love having your support and we hope to repay that by playing some entertaining, winning rugby.