Coventry Rugby 25 Ealing Trailfinders 35: a much improved performance; the Academy - see it, say it...?

That's life (that's life)

That's what all the people say

You're riding high in April, shot down in May

But I know I'm gonna change that tune

When I'm back on top, back on top in June

I said that's life (that's life)

And as funny as it may seem

Some people get their kicks

Stomping on a dream

But I don't let it, let it get me down

'Cause this fine old world, it keeps spinnin' around

That's Life - Frank Sinatra

Emily Thornberry, the long-serving Labour MP for Islington and the current Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, is a name rarely mentioned in rugby discussions.

However, in an interview she gave on the News Agents podcast last week, she helped me put into context Coventry Rugby's poor performance against the Pirates last weekend.

Discussing her potential political future under the new Labour government, Thornberry noted that individuals who constantly think about their next job often do not secure it, however much they want it.

And whilst various explanations have been proffered for last week's underperformance and its inevitable outcome, I do believe that Coventry's decision to announce its application for Premiership status, combined with the overemphasis on the importance of Ealing game whilst failing to really appreciate just how tough the trip to Pirates would be, might have meant the focus on The Mennaye wasn't perhaps quite as sharp as it needed to be.

Media interest in the club at both a local and national level leading up to the trip to Cornwall had been intense and perhaps thoughts moved away from the game to matters off the pitch, as well as to the significance of the result against Ealing the following week. It must have had been a subject of some discussion within the club and maybe that chipped away at what needed to be the main focal point for the week - coming back from Cornwall with the win.

The performance against Pirates, more even than the result itself, gave the game against Ealing yesterday even greater significance for many Cov fans.

If the team had capitulated at home in front of what many anticipated could be another full house (it was 700 short in the end) in a manner similar to that against Pirates, then there would have been some very disgruntled supporters hyped up by the club's decision to apply for Prem status this season (and the implied suggestion that the club is good enough to win the league this season).

Add to the mix our own (my own) over-inflated belief in where the club currently is on its much-vaunted journey into the top tier of English rugby and it would have made for a pretty volatile scenario.

As it is, even with what I maintain was a really encouraging performance given some recent outings, there were still a fair few caustic comments directed both at the club and to individual players by all accounts. And that's completely out of order as far as I'm concerned.

Over the past couple of seasons, I've seen the club consistently achieve results against the country's top teams below the Premiership, both at home and away. As a self-proclaimed die-hard fan, I've naturally got carried away; supporters always do.

I went into these final two games believing that we had a squad that is more than capable of winning the Championship and that we'd at least win one of the two, and probably both.

Well, results suggest that we're still some way behind Ealing even if the gap has narrowed over the last couple of seasons, although were we to play Pirates again next weekend, I'm sure the performance, if not the result, would be very different. That said, we're not far enough ahead of Pirates to feel the kind of confidence you'd expect from a promotion chasing side.

The defeat to Ealing was a disappointment but the performance itself was encouraging. After the humiliation down at The Mennaye, there was always a slight concern that the game against an Ealing side that had scored 90 plus points the weekend before might have come along a little too early in the recovery process, but the players played with real confidence and for 60 minutes the result could have gone either way.

Cov played with a real fire in their bellies and at times we looked more of a threat against the league leaders than we had for several weeks beforehand. It was stirring stuff and it was only when Ealing brought on players of the quality of Willis, Hampson, Alo, Zigiriadis and co that the difference in depth of squads showed. Ealing were good value for the 10-point win, but Cov performance demonstrated that the club deserves to be where it is and that the squad is good enough to push Ealing over the remainder of the season.

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Coventry Rugby's decision to put on an Academy fixture before the main event was one that was much appreciated by a goodly crowd - perhaps 300-400 making the early kick off (10.45 am). And whilst the youngsters from both Coventry and Ealing deserve plenty of praise for what was a very entertaining contest between two very good sides, I thought the club did little on the day to justify the importance it claims it places in the Academy.

The 'professionally-run, locally-based academy which aims to allow aspiring players in Coventry and Warwickshire to fulfil their potential' has attracted some real talent, much of which appears to have come from outside of the Coventry area judging by yesterday's squad. There looked to be some real talent on show yesterday morning...

But unless you were there, there's no way of knowing this. Having advertised the game on its various socials in the run-up to yesterday and stressed that bars/refreshment areas would be open early (suggesting the club perhaps sees it as an additional source of potential revenue), on the day itself there was no mention at all of the game, the teams or even the result itself on any of Coventry Rugby's main media outlets. And that's really disappointing.

No shocking.

With so many of the Coventry admin around, surely someone could have been allocated to update X with basic information - like the result even. The coaches, the youngsters playing and the parents who have entrusted Cov with their kids' development deserve better, I reckon.

The scoreboard was working in the morning so why not leave the squad names/numbers on the display for supporters to refer to during the game? Everyone likes to recall when they saw Player X, Y or Z for the first time - it would have taken a couple of minutes to input the info, that's all.

And it gets worse really. I had a long chat after the game with a parent of one of the lads who played yesterday. The dad was really impressed with the set up at Cov and he made mention of a game the youngsters had played in Wales the weekend before - a game that certainly few knew of. It had been a good performance too by all accounts against a strong Welsh side (whom Cov beat) but I've not seen any mention of it, let alone read a report.

There are many supporters who'd really appreciate the chance to follow these youngsters, read how they're getting on, put some names to faces and faces to names. If these lads don't make it at Cov, the chances are several will at clubs elsewhere.

The chap I spoke to had nothing but praise for Matt Jones, the Academy head coach (I'm almost certain that was his name?) and having been left in limbo by Worcester's sudden demise he said his lad wanted to remain here even if Worcester are allowed back into the Champ. It sounds as if the Academy has made a really strong start after its relaunch, so let's hear about.

Why, and here's a thought, we could even celebrate it...

I think I'm right in saying that many of the squad were a year younger than the opposition yesterday but after going behind by two converted tries in the first few minutes, they took control of the game, eventually winning 38-28. There were some really notable performances, especially amongst the backs, with Tom Varndell's lad, Taio, causing panic in the opposition defences every time he got the ball.

And the fact that Tom Varndell entrusts his son's future in the game with Cov speaks volumes. I was really impressed with the quality out there on the pitch yesterday and yet had I not been there I, like 000s of other Cov fans, would be clueless about just what is being done for these youngsters.

There really ought to be regular updates both on the official website and through social media, including a set of photos of the current squad, although I accept that it's a rather more fluid situation over the course of the season than it is with the senior squad.

Every Cov supporter who watched the game expressed a wish that these double-headers could be a more regular feature over the course of a season and I'm sure it would draw in more support, too, and a younger generation of Cov fans at that.

See it. Say it...

...the rest is up to Cov.

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So much has been said and written elsewhere already about the Championship game that a repeat in this post would be superfluous. However, I do feel that some of the criticism directed at the team and even individual players seems really harsh. In the heat of the moment, supporters will often come out with some ill-thought-out statements (been there, still doing it) but hopefully after reflection most will see Coventry's performance for what it was, a massive improvement on the one against Pirates and probably good enough at home to have beaten any side in the league other than Ealing at the moment.

But there are still some real tests to come, not the least of which is next Saturday's trip up to Nottingham to face a side that has produced a few Jekyll and Hyde performances itself already this season. Hopefully, we didn't pick up any serious injuries yesterday for, as we saw with the temporary signing of Steven Longwell, we are down to the bare bones in some areas.

With a fairly small squad, it was always going to be the case but with what appear to be long-term injuries to Jake Henry, Oli Morris, Rhys Anstey, Steff Davies, Suva Ma'asi, Matt Johnson and Vilikesa Nairau (there might be others I've missed) most, if not all, of whom would have been be part of the match day 23 had they been fit and playing regularly, the situation is difficult to say the least. Squad depth is already an issue, any more injuries will have serious consequences.

One pleasing aspect coming out of the game yesterday, for me anyway, was that we looked more dangerous in the backs going forward. Hutler and Robson definitely caused Ealing problems in the first half, opening up the opposition defences on several occasions. Martin hasn't quite recaptured some of the form he showed last season and the start of this, but if he can regain a bit of confidence then we might start to see things click. Whilst Tiueti hasn't been the attacking force I'd initially hoped he'd prove to be, his defensive work is immense and he seems to be developing a solid understanding with Tom Hitchcock. He goes under the radar a little at times, but he's definitely growing on me.

This has been our best start to a season in the Championship for many a year and the fact that many of us are feeling a little deflated is indicative of just what this group of players has achieved. The rugby might not be quite as free-flowing and cavalier as it has been in some recent seasons, but we are winning games from positions we would probably have lost in the past. If scoring 4 or 5 tries a game against 7or 8 is the cost, then so be it - we're a professional club playing professional rugby and sometimes winning becomes more important than merely entertaining. You aim for both, of course, but it's not always something that is achievable.

Many thanks to everyone who's given the blog a read over the past 12 months and especially to those who have had the tenacity to stick with it!

It only remains for me to wish you and your families a very merry Christmas.

This is Christmas is one I'm particularly looking forward to; my daughter gets married on Christmas Eve...

Up the Cov...

Tim S

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Frank knew the score...(although he might have got his months confused)

That's life (that's life)

That's what all the people say

You're riding high in April, shot down in May

But I know I'm gonna change that tune

When I'm back on top, back on top in June

I said that's life (that's life)

And as funny as it may seem

Some people get their kicks

Stomping on a dream