Out for the scramble we've got to get airborne
Got to get up for the coming attack
Running, scrambling, flying
Rolling, turning, diving
Going in again
Running, scrambling, flying
Rolling, turning, diving
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Won't you run, live to fly, fly to live, aces high
Aces High - Iron Maiden
I'm not a great fan of Coventry Rugby's decision to bundle this game, together with two others, one played last Friday with another to follow next month, under the umbrella headline of a 'Gift to the Community'.
Yes, all three are free to enter, something that I'm sure was appreciated by those in attendance last night. That said, though, in recent seasons these games have been free to season ticket holders at least, as I recall, and they hardly constitute a community enhancing programme.
Coventry do a great deal of good work within the local community, from working within local schools as part of the Coventry Rugby Foundation to 'walking rugby' with the over 50s. Plenty there to celebrate. Offering free entry to games that haven't exactly captured the imagination of the paying public in the past hardly constitutes a 'gift to the community' in any sense other than an attempt to get supporters through the turnstiles to games that would otherwise be played in a near empty stadium.
Just 721 attended the RAF game last night. Had it been priced at £10, or even £5, that number would have dropped significantly. It makes sense to offer free admission - but 'A Gift to the Community'. Really? Comes across as a bit pretentious to me, I'm afraid. It wasn't a gift last season and it still isn't this as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure they'll make more money at the bar with 720 than they would in total charging far fewer an entry fee even including bar sales. It's good commercial sense.
Shift to supporters, definitely. A gift to the community. Hardly.
And if Cov persist in labelling what was really a just a good run out for the Academy players plus those short of match practice as 'Gifts', then last night's encounter was very much akin to a present from an ageing aunt or uncle - nicely wrapped in attractive packaging but, at the end of the day, something of a disappointment.
If spectator chat is to be believed, the RAF fielded a strong side in preparation for the Inter-Services Final at the end of the month. Even as both sides warmed up, it was pretty clear that Coventry were going to be up against it given the physical disparity between the two squads. The Cov side looked what they were - a group of youngsters, talented yes, but lacking the size, physique and experience of their opposition.
The RAF looked much older and had a big advantage in terms of sheer size in the forwards. It seemed a mismatch before kick off and in all honesty, despite a committed and determined effort from the whole Cov squad, so it proved as the game got underway.
Coventry struggled to compete, especially at scrum time and in the mauls. The RAF were totally in control and Coventry were penalised time and time again as the RAF scrum took total control in the set piece, with a home put-in offering no advantage such was their dominance.
Coventry showed moments of promise, but with little possession they were forced to live off scraps. The backs had plenty of pace, with Freddie Painter (sporting a hell of a mullet), David Opoku and Tobi Wilson all looking threatening when given some space.
Wilson has already impressed at senior level and his try to put Cov on the scoreboard after leaking three quick tries showed just why.
Coventry didn't really help themselves. Their handling wasn't always as reliable as we've come to expect and decision making was sometimes erratic.
I've always been impressed with Fin Ogden at 9, even when he's played in the senior squad, but at 10 he appeared to struggle a little and his kicking out of hand put Cov under pressure at times.
It's probably not the best game to judge him on, given the RAF's superiority and he's certainly a fine prospect, but I'd rather see him at scrum half if I'm honest. It might be that with Chudley, Snow and Lane ahead of him, 10 might offer him a better route into the first team and the coaches are looking to give him some game time to assess the possibility?
It was 5-33 at the break. Had the RAF not bombed a few good opportunities themselves, the lead could have been even greater.
Two minutes into the second half, the RAF swapped their entire front row. Whether this was pre-planned or the result of their dominance in the first half is unclear, but it seemed to give Coventry a fillip and for the next 25 minutes or so. They looked far sharper and more competitive than they had in the first half. Suddenly they were playing with more pace and confidence, running at the opposition and causing them to defend in numbers at times as the Coventry backs made good yards, with Painter and Opoku again looking threatening.
Opoku in particular is a crowd pleaser and every time he got the ball he looked to take the defence on with frightening acceleration over 30 metres, as well as putting a sound defensive shift too. Cov scored a further two tries, both scored by Harry Stone who was the pick of the forwards for me and would have been my MotM, although the award eventually went to Jack Hurst.
In fairness, the scrum faired a lot better for much of the second half which allowed Cov a decent platform on which to unleash their backs, although the lineout faltered several times when Cov had kicked to the corner which potentially cost them a couple of tries.
The final 10 minutes saw the RAF score three quick tries and whilst the Cov youngsters had shown a lot more resilience in the second half, the final score was a pretty accurate reflection of the gulf between the two sides.
It wasn't easy viewing, to be honest. It was very one-sided but as Will Lane stressed in his post match interview, it was an opportunity for the Academy players to put on the shirt and play in front of a home crowd. They've had plenty of success this season so stepping up a level against bigger and better opposition hopefully will have reminded them of the journey ahead of them if they are make it onto the professional circuit.
Lane did a good job of playing behind a faltering scrum and his experience showed in the second half when he upped the tempo considerably once he started to get some decent ball to work with.
I'm really looking forward to seeing this group develop as there are some really talented youngsters at Cov right now, but I do hope that future contests will be on a slightly more even footing. I love watching Cov, but I did struggle a little with this one.
Well done to the boys in blue.
Shame it wasn't the boys in blue and white though.
Comments