Coventry
Coventry makes five changes as Macclesfield visit BPA...
By John Wilkinson, Coventry Telegraph.
October 5 2012
COVENTRY ring the changes tomorrow as they bid to put their National League One season back on track against Macclesfield at the Butts Park Arena.
There are five changes to the starting XV – including a full debut for former Plymouth winger Steve Johns – as well as one positional switch in reaction to last week’s 27-15 defeat at Rosslyn Park.
The inclusion of Johns allows Greg Evans to move to his preferred position at centre, while Ben Toft is recalled at full-back at the expense of Ben Russell and Nathan Johns returns from injury at scrum-half.
And, in the forwards Nico Steenkamp and Sam Herrington change roles with Rob Dugard and Danny Wright, who move on to the bench where centre Jack Green is included for the first time this term.
“We’re freshening things up a little and a couple of lads have made really strong claims,” said rugby director Phil Maynard. “Sam and Steve both did well when they came on last week to deserve a start and Greg is in form at the moment so the more we can get him into contact, the better.
“The whole squad felt that we missed an opportunity last week and that it was a game we could have won.
“We just need to get some consistency into our game – we are a new team and it is going to take some time but we’ve seen them gel in chunks and now we have to move that on to a whole game.”
Maynard added: “Every game is important but we need to win this one in front of our own supporters and everyone is relishing the challenge.”
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Coventry makes five changes as Macclesfield visit BPA...
Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 05/10/2012 12:23
05/10/2012 12:23
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Well, something worked, even if it was just sheer bloody-mindedness wearing down Macclesfield. I'd
put the turning point down to some very well marshalled defence that turned away Macclesfield with no points from a ten minute period of pressure, followed by a quick Coventry try before half time.
put the turning point down to some very well marshalled defence that turned away Macclesfield with no points from a ten minute period of pressure, followed by a quick Coventry try before half time.
Terrible first half! Littered with far too many handling errors, especially knock-ons. Is this down to nerves, confidence or skill? Worryingly this is happening week on week and needs to be eradicated quickly if we aspire to be a top half team.
The second half was better. 8-3 up at half-time you would have thought getting 30 points would deem the display to be very good, but I feel Macclesfield are a poor side, a very poor side. Anyway, getting the bonus point is always welcome, and a win is a win, but the rugby we are playing is not enjoyable to the eye.
Finally, I must point out that the lads gave 100% and truly deserved the win today. Well done guys!
The second half was better. 8-3 up at half-time you would have thought getting 30 points would deem the display to be very good, but I feel Macclesfield are a poor side, a very poor side. Anyway, getting the bonus point is always welcome, and a win is a win, but the rugby we are playing is not enjoyable to the eye.
Finally, I must point out that the lads gave 100% and truly deserved the win today. Well done guys!
spot oN LOL.huge effort from all the players , tackling much improved but the handling not! the pack did well, dominating the scrums and securing quick ball from the rucks.
lets hope we can build on this win and be more consistent to move up the table .
lets hope we can build on this win and be more consistent to move up the table .
Good win and pleased that we got the bonus point. It's also pleasing that we didn't concede any tries. Scrum was outstanding all game, looks like a lot of work has been done in training in that area.
biggest glimmer of hope to me was to see an inspired cross kick to an open field out of defence.This shows a side which we are still waiting to see in attack from the fly half..unpredictability.
Well, it was a win, and a bonus point too, but it was a very average performance. The promotion chasing teams will have no fear of Cov, on this performance anyway.
Macclesfield were a poor side, no question. How on earth did they put six tries past Cambridge last week? You can only assume that Cambridge were very poor indeed.
Having said that, Macclesfield did spend a long time threatening our line, and the Cov defence kept them out, just before half time. And then, as oldnick says, we broke out of that long period of defence just before half time and scored our first try. Phsychologically that was a good time to score to break the deadlock.
The second half was better, admittedly, but not by much. I think we were right to keep kicking the penalties and to get three points each time, because it gradually and inexoribly put the game beyone Macc's reach.
The high profile of the fly half inevitably puts him in thr frame for the MoM award, but that's too easy and simplistic. In my opinion, yesterdy's MoM award should have gone to Garth le Roux who, certainly in the second half, had a very good game.
So, yes, a win and a BP, but we really do need to play much better and to put together some serious interplay which keeps the ball away from the opposition and makes inroads into territory towards the try line.
Having said that, well done Cov. Onwards and upwards.
Macclesfield were a poor side, no question. How on earth did they put six tries past Cambridge last week? You can only assume that Cambridge were very poor indeed.
Having said that, Macclesfield did spend a long time threatening our line, and the Cov defence kept them out, just before half time. And then, as oldnick says, we broke out of that long period of defence just before half time and scored our first try. Phsychologically that was a good time to score to break the deadlock.
The second half was better, admittedly, but not by much. I think we were right to keep kicking the penalties and to get three points each time, because it gradually and inexoribly put the game beyone Macc's reach.
The high profile of the fly half inevitably puts him in thr frame for the MoM award, but that's too easy and simplistic. In my opinion, yesterdy's MoM award should have gone to Garth le Roux who, certainly in the second half, had a very good game.
So, yes, a win and a BP, but we really do need to play much better and to put together some serious interplay which keeps the ball away from the opposition and makes inroads into territory towards the try line.
Having said that, well done Cov. Onwards and upwards.
Did we get a bp ? thought we needed 4 tries and didn't we get 3? Anyway good win playing well enough to keep Mac out gradually grinding out the win.
How did Mac beat Cambs? Can't compare other games week to week, thats nonsense. and Cov can only beat the team in front of them. To be truthful we dont know how we wil fare against the top teams either.
Let's go forward with a positive attitude.
How did Mac beat Cambs? Can't compare other games week to week, thats nonsense. and Cov can only beat the team in front of them. To be truthful we dont know how we wil fare against the top teams either.
Let's go forward with a positive attitude.
Cambridge beat Tynedale this week as well, so if you can put a run together, as Rosslyn park have done they have shot up to 2nd to all intents with a pretty average side.
hope for everyone then although i dread to think what would happen to certain teams if promoted to the Championship.
hope for everyone then although i dread to think what would happen to certain teams if promoted to the Championship.
If that's a tongue-in-cheek reference to Ealing Tf's, Tom, I reckon you're right. Jersey were a good NL1 side last season, but they can't find a win this season in the Championship. The step up is clearly greater than might appear.
The raised standard in this div makes it clearly evident the league above has improved also, probably due to so many uk players falling out from the prem due to so many overseas players higher up.
no CB not about jersey but about some aspiring teams in national league 1 this year, whose facilities are no different to what they were 40 years ago, but put all their money into team.i also woder if they have infrastructure to g higher.
It's not only some of the teams in NL1, Tom. I regularly go to the Mennaye Field in Penzance to watch Cornish Pitates who, for the last three or four seasons have beeb very much a top Championship side pushing for promotion. The have spent money on players and have been able to field a very strong side.
This year, however, things are very different.
They have been waiting for local authority approval (their excuse) to build a new stadium because the Mennaye Field is hopelessly short of Premiership standards, but there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Even if they had beaten London Welsh in the play-offs at the end of last season, they would not have been allowed into the Premiership because of their woefully inadequate facilities.
The result is that players have departed in their droves, and CP is now a very average Championship side languishing in the bottom half of the table.
There has been no money spent on facilities, which, as you say, is typical of so many clubs who seem to be prepared to pay out for players but completely ignore the requirements of the facilities in the modern day game.
This year, however, things are very different.
They have been waiting for local authority approval (their excuse) to build a new stadium because the Mennaye Field is hopelessly short of Premiership standards, but there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Even if they had beaten London Welsh in the play-offs at the end of last season, they would not have been allowed into the Premiership because of their woefully inadequate facilities.
The result is that players have departed in their droves, and CP is now a very average Championship side languishing in the bottom half of the table.
There has been no money spent on facilities, which, as you say, is typical of so many clubs who seem to be prepared to pay out for players but completely ignore the requirements of the facilities in the modern day game.
cov kid 53..you seem to have forgot who our wins have come against...the bottom 3 and losses against top 3.....at present
Of course one of the reasons they are bottom three is that we have beaten them. Likewise one of the reasons that the teams Coventry lost to were top three is that Cov lost to them.
It's only once you get a couple of months into the season that statements about quality of the opposition become meaningful, not in the first few weeks.
It's only once you get a couple of months into the season that statements about quality of the opposition become meaningful, not in the first few weeks.
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