Coventry Rugby 76 Nottingham 21 - resurgent Cov in 11 try blitz

I made it through the rain

I kept my world protected

I made it thought the rain

I kept my point of view

I made it through the rain

And found myself respected

By the others who

Got rained on too

And I made it through the rain

I Made It Through The Rain - Barry Mannilow

Down one minute, up the next.

After 4 losses in 5 games, the worst run under Head Coach Alex Rae’s tenure, amongst many Cov fans frustrations were beginning to show, questions politely asked and concerns about the overall strength of the squad voiced.

In short, it has been a difficult few weeks for the club and Cov desperately needed a win yesterday to restore a bit of morale, amongst supporters if not the players, going into two big games in the Premiership Cup against Northampton and Leicester.

And fortunately, the rugby gods were smiling on Coventry Rugby for once. First, Cov were at home. Playing at the BPA always gives Cov an advantage, whoever the opposition, such is the fervent atmosphere so often generated by the home crowd.

Secondly, Cov came up against a much changed Nottingham side from the one that demolished them back in December. I reckoned there were just 5 of the starting XV from that game and with Cov selecting arguably the strongest 23 they could from the players available, well it certainly made it a little less of a challenge than it might otherwise have been.

Take nothing away from Cov, the team’s performance yesterday was hugely encouraging, but a bit of context is needed here. Cov had no control over the opposition’s decisions regarding selection but the fact that this was very much a second string Archers side was just the sort of good fortune Cov needed, and arguably deserved, after being decimated by so many injuries earlier in the season.

Indeed, the injury/sickness (?) jinx continued in the hours leading up to the game with Charlie Robson forced out, with Tom Hithcock replacing him from the bench and Ryan Hutler moving to full back.

Even after the announcement of the two squads, as the players warmed up before the game, many of the supporters we chatted to were still a little worried as to the game’s outcome. Inconsistent form throughout the season meant that few felt this was going to be anything other than a reasonably close contest,  with Cov eventually coming out on top in what was expected to be a hard fought encounter.

That Cov won at a canter, scoring 11 tries in total and playing the kind of expansive and free flowing rugby that has been missing all season speaks volumes for the character and resolve of both the players and coaches alike. They can’t have been immune to the criticisms and concerns expressed on social media after some pretty unconvincing performances this season.

All fans, no matter the sport, are a pretty fickle bunch and in this respect Cov supporters are no different. Having been used to Cov not just winning, but winning in some style over the previous couple of seasons, the dip in Cov’s form since November has been an obvious concern, one that I’ve voiced in the blog just as others have elsewhere.

It very much part and parcel of the game and players and coaches, particularly at a professional level, should be hardened to it. It’s just white noise coming from supporters who are so far removed from the reality of what’s happening behind closed changing room doors that they can only surmise and second guess. It’s what supporters do. No supporter should be made to feel guilty for expressing an opinion, however wrong it maybe, as long as the sentiment behind it is honest. Clubs have several avenues of communication these days to address any concerns or misinformation should they feel it necessary to provide any relevant information.

The fact that Cov rose above the mutterings and misgivings not just to win, but to win in such style, speaks volumes about the self-belief amongst the players, coaches and backroom staff. They will have been only too aware of the frustrations another loss would have caused, so to answer their critics with such a resounding win and such a dominant performance is much to their credit.

Many, but not all, of the concerns voiced by supporters were swept aside yesterday in a commanding display of attacking rugby with forwards and backs linking seamlessly to provide champagne rugby of Bollinger proportions. This was the fillip we all needed and as the final whistle blew, the talk was all about Northampton; the excitement palpable, the belief genuine.

There are obviously a number of caveats, but having watched Cov yesterday, it’s hard not to believe that Cov is more than capable of replicating the sort of performance that saw us beat Tigers and trouble Saints in the first round of games, even without talisman Matt Kvesic.

As I said at the start, down one minute up the next.

Watching from the stands, the arrival of Sam Maunder might well be the, or at least a, catalyst for Cov’s much improved display. He has a Chudley-esque air about him, dictating the pace and direction of play, constantly encouraging and appearing to have a as much time and composure as anyone on the pitch.

The knock on effect of his arrival might be the removal of a little of the pressure on Josh Barton. He looked far more relaxed when he came off the bench and with Coventry rampant by then, he was able to keep the game flowing, poaching a couple of tries in the process. Smiles rather than last weekend’s scowls. And with Will Lane looking sharp and back to full fitness, 9 options amongst the backs are increasing week by week.

I wonder if Barton could become another Pete White. Rowland Winter seemed to prefer Pete coming off the bench and he often caused tired defences big problems with his pace and energy. Barton is arguably the better 9 of the two, but few players have worn the Cov shirt with more heart than Pete White in recent seasons.

One of the on-going concerns of late has been the difficulties the team has had in turning possession into points. Yesterday, Cov showed that it has plenty of attacking options  at its disposal and when things click, there are players with the ability to open defences and create spaces for others to run into. I’m not sure if this is correct or not, but it was mentioned yesterday that Maunder and Tommy Mathews had played together previously; certainly there seemed to be an instant connection with both players linking well and intent in getting the ball out wide wherever possible.

Mathews seems to be growing into the role of 10 and despite Liam Richman’s encouraging run in the 10 shirt whilst he was out injured, he remains the better option for me. The big bonus is that his kicking off the tee looks very promising, with two of the touchline conversions yesterday suggesting he could be what we’ve been looking for in that department for a good while. Brilliant as Pellegrini was, his kicking wasn’t always his greatest strength.

Despite fielding a much-changed team, Nottingham still had plenty of pace in their backs, including Ryan Olowofela who had previously scored a hatrick against us in the league game over at Lady Bay in December,  creating uncertainty in the Cov defences whenever he received the ball. The fact that he was marked out of the game is a tribute to Cov’s defensive organisation. For me, THE game’s champagne moment, and there were a few to choose from, was the ease in which David Opoku ran around him as part of his electric run that led to Poole’s try in the opposite corner in the first half.

The first 5 Cov tries were all shared amongst the backs. Late replacement Tom Hitchcock and Dafydd-Rhys Tiueti provided a blend of power and pace in the centres, ensuring that wings saw as much ball yesterday as they have at any time this season. Martin was the main beneficiary, scoring three tries and looking happier than he has for a while now.

The forwards put in a strong shift too with the scrum remaining just as strong, even after the bench had been emptied, and the lineout functioned well for the most part. James Tyas seems to have taken more of a leadership role of late, constantly talking to players and leading by example. His regular return to the starting XV after an initial absence owing to injury and then a run of games off the bench is great to see and he’s seldom been subbed which speaks volumes for both his fitness and his importance to the success of the team.

A crowd of getting on for 2250 was perhaps the biggest disappointment of the day. The lower than expected attendance (on my part, I hasten to add) could have been down to it being a ‘just’ a Cup game, but more likely a few poor results and opposition we were playing for the third time this season was more likely a deciding factor.

There also seemed to be far fewer in the hospitality marquee for the pre-match meal too, all of which means that there would have been less match day income generated on the day at a time when it is much needed, given the dearth of games in the next few weeks.

The build-up to kick off was much more low key than it’s been for many a game and with a lot of gaps in the stands, it needed an exhilarating performance from the players to generate some noise. And how they responded.

Arriving before the end of the Academy training session, the Nottingham squad had a huddle and a light warm up behind the media scaffolding opposite the main stand!

The cancellation of the Academy game was a blow; I’ve really enjoyed watching the youngsters play and I’ve been really impressed with the overall standard, although that’s probably more because I’m not used to seeing those age groups play.

A group of Cov youngsters, presumably those who would have been involved in the cancelled game, were out training on the pitch when we arrived - I’ve not yet seen enough games to recognise faces and some looked younger than I’d imagine U18s to be but that might just be because I’m getting that much older.

There appeared to be one or two very talented lads in amongst the group. Sadly, I’m missing today’s game as I’m currently mid-air on my way to sunnier climes for a couple of weeks, but all being well they’ll be more fixtures announced in the coming weeks.

The more opportunities we get to be involved in these games, the better - for the players, the club and the supporters. As the Academy grows, hopefully so will the number of fixtures and I’m sure I’ll get almost as much pleasure seeing players come through the ranks up into the first team squad as I will watching Cov earn its place in the Premiership over the course of the next few seasons.

If and when we have the next Fans’ Forum, I hope Matt Jones, the Head Coach, is invited along to talk to supporters about his hopes and aspirations for the Academy. It’s an area of the club that remains a little understated at the moment and yet is key to its long term success.

Yesterday’s result provided a much-needed lift for everyone. No one should read too much into the result given the context of the game BUT it’s a big confidence boost going into the remaining two Cup games against opposition that will ask far more questions of Cov than Nottingham managed.

The challenge is to carry this form into those games and then on into the resumption of the League.

And one I’m sure the players will meet head on.

Up the Cov…

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