By Coventry Telegraph
November 28 2008

THE old adage is that bowing out of a cup competition allows a team to concentrate that bit more upon their league ambitions. But being dumped out by a lower league side after the worst performance of the season will call for more concentration than usual when Nuneaton travel to Bradford & Bingley tomorrow. On paper, it should be a chance for the Nuns to put their National Two ambitions back on track after their 21-16 home defeat in the EDF trophy to Hull. Mike Umaga's side are a point off the promotion spots, while the hosts are a point above the drop zone, but little can be taken for granted.

Three seasons ago, the last time the pair met in National Three North, Nuns lost both encounters. Two seasons ago, in National Two, Nuns took the points at Liberty Way and Aire View.

Umaga has a few players with bumps and bruises but said he was hoping to have a full squad to choose from. He said: "We spoke about the Hull game. We didn't play well but there is no sense in dwelling on a cup competition that if anything, all it would give us was some extra fun. I am not belittling the cup, but we were at the stage where we knew we were never going to win it and I am a realist as well. We have always said right from day one that the league is our priority so we need to consolidate our future and the club's future in this league if not the one above.

"That is what we will be focusing on. The boys are well aware that they came up short at the weekend."

The director of rugby recognises that the recent history of the club has been bouncing between divisions two and three and said: "We need to consolidate what the club is about so we are not getting this to-ing and froing and for that we have to make sure that all the infrastructure is in place off the park as well."

Umaga looks to league

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 28/11/2008 16:56

Unofficial Coventry Rugby
28/11/2008 16:56

Umaga looks to league

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