'Cause I'm on top of the world, hey
I'm on top of the world, hey
Waiting on this for a while now
Paying my dues to the dirt
I've been waiting to smile, hey
Been holding it in for a while, hey...
Been dreaming of this since a child
I'm on top of the world
On Top Of The World - Imagine Dragons
Two wins.
Just 2 more wins from our last four games and by my reckoning we're home and hosed for a third place finish.
With Ealing doing us a big favour by beating Bedford yesterday, albeit in a much tighter game than they would have wished for, Cov must now be clear favourites to finish above their East Midland rivals. Even though three of those last four games are away from home, I'm hoping we'll have ensured an end of season finish above Bedford before we travel down to Goldington Road for the final game of the season.
Whilst needing a win down there to secure third sport would make things very interesting on the last Saturday of the season, it's certainly not the easiest of places to eke out a win. And it's not been the happiest of hunting grounds for us over the years. In fairness, though, such is our away record in the Championship (and National One for the most part), that could be said of most grounds we've visited over the last few seasons.
Our form away from the Butts Park Arena has certainly been our Achilles heel in years past, just as Fortress BPA has been for most visiting teams. However, this current squad seem to travel far better than most in recent years and away days now don't hold quite the same concern for supporters as they have done previously.
Without sounding over-confident or conceited, I'd expect us to come away with the points against both Ampthill and Richmond. Bedford, though, is an entirely different proposition - up against a big, partisan crowd and a team that plays it rugby in a similar way to Cov, it's a really difficult one to predict. And playing up that slope in the second half is sure to make it even tougher.
Remember the 53-52 defeat down there back in January 2019?
That gave us the dubious honour of being the highest scoring losing side in the history of the Championship, made doubly worse because Jake Sharp, a month after his release from Cov, masterminded our downfall, scoring 18 points and creating the try for RIchard Lane in the dying seconds of the game that gave Bedford the win. And to make it even harder to bear, Cov outscored Bedford 8 tries to 7.
And Richard Lane has just returned to Bedford on loan from Bristol.
Oh dear...
It was a true classic of a game and it will long live in the memory.
Unfortunately.
Despite the pain of the defeat, I was actually pleased for Sharp - I don't think I can recall a Cov player who so divided opinion amongst supporters as much as he did. Will Johnson perhaps, although maybe he didn't divide opinions, I think most if not all were of the same opinion. WIll Johnson only lasted 4 months, too!
Whatever the reasons for his poor form whilst with us, Jake Sharp didn't deserve some of the comments that were levelled at him.
Anyway, of the three away days still outstanding Bedford is the more difficult game to predict. Ampthill on Saturday should be a win, but they are notoriously difficult to beat at Dillingham Park, as Richmond found out yesterday. The ground and that walk to and from the changing rooms is certainly something else and I wonder if it does give them a psychological advantage in the build up to a game, however small it might be.
I've tried explaining what it's like to Josh (my grandson) but have never really managed to capture in words just how different it is. He's with me on Saturday so it will be interesting to gauge his reaction.
I honestly don't take pleasure in seeing anyone cited for foul play, but I wasn't surprised to learn that Doncaster's Sam Hudson had been given a 5 match ban for his dangerously late 'tackle' on James Tyas last weekend. It was cynical and totally unnecessary. To his credit, Hudson didn't dispute the charge which is probably why he only got the 5 games. At a time when there is so much discussion about head injuries and how best they can be avoided, any foul play of that nature has to be punished, and punished hard.
Coincidentally, this week the RFU has confirmed that it will lower the tackle height to the waist in amateur rugby across England from next season onwards (I'm presuming that means from National One and below - the article I read didn't specify, only referring to it being applied to 'the community game'?).
This means that tackles must be no higher than the 'line of the waist', with referees also being asked to look at the position of the ball carrier: 'Ball carriers will also be encouraged to follow the principle of evasion, which is a mainstay of the game, to avoid late dipping and thereby avoid creating a situation where a bent tackler may be put at increased risk of head-on-head contact with the ball carrier through a late or sudden change in body height of the ball carrier'.
That strikes me as a sensible move as so often problems are exacerbated when the tackler is confronted by a player dipping into a tackle. It's going to cause referees a few headaches but with more data now showing the long term effects to the brain and the likelihood of litigation as an increasing number of players show signs of rugby related brain trauma, the RFU had no other option really.
It was disappointing to learn of the cancellation of Friday's 'Gift to the Community' game against Leicester Lions (I do hope the club refrains from using that tagline should it offer free entry to any games next season, it comes across as so patronising), but given the rearrangement of the Ampthill game the day after, it was hardly surprising.
Leicester Lions have had a fantastic season, winning their league with three games still left and in the process losing just one of the 24 games so far played. Some record that. It would have been an ideal opportunity to watch Academy youngsters play alongside members of the first team squad against opposition that would have been a real test.
This week's TRP included an interview with Gareth Collins, Lions' head coach. He's rightly proud of his club's achievements this season, but with little financial backing he is realistic about his side's chances in National One next season: '...we won't be in a position to get many new players in, if at all...hopefully, we can stay up'.
Perhaps Coventry can help out, though. Lions' promotion offers reciprocal benefits to both clubs, with Academy players potentially supporting the Lions and in the process getting some much needed game time in National One. Perhaps Friday's game is/was the beginning of a closer symbiotic relationship between the two clubs?
Currently just one place behind Leicester Lions is Clifton, the club Will Owen joined at the end of last season. He's clearly had an impact there as he's scored 14 tries and lies just two behind the league's top scorer. Also playing for Clifton is Luke Cozens who has played for the likes of Bath and Hartpury, as well as enjoying a spell in France. Up against teams containing players of the calibre of Owen and Cozens, Lion's achievement is all the more commendable.
Cov did play Lions (away) in a friendly back in 2017 at the start of Rowland Winter's second season at Cov. It's one of those games I remember well as it was notable for being the first opportunity I'd had to see Sam Tuitupou in the flesh (so-to-speak). It was something of a disappointment really as he was yellow carded for a thumping tackle deemed dangerous by the referee and as a result we didn't get to see much of him that day.
It must have been a daunting sight seeing Sammy line-up against you in National One. Cov has been blessed with some great players over the years and he's definitely one of the very best. If anyone was to ask me which Coventry player I would have most liked to have seen play for us in their prime, it would be Sam Tuitupou, even ahead of Zinzan. For me, there hasn't been a more 'watchable' player put on a Cov shirt in the last 30 plus years, with perhaps the exception of Derek Eves.
nb...according to Google (!) in a one on-one-contest Tigers would generally have the beating of Lions, so that must be a relief for those watching their neighbours progress from the relative comfort of Welford Road.
Imagine Dragons
On Monday the RFU Council agreed to lower the height of the tackle across the community game from 1 July 2023. The radical change will come in at both age grade and adult levels.
The RFU have said: “Tackles must be made at the line of the waist and below” with an aim to “put players’ heads in the safest possible place by defining in law where the line of the tackle may start.”
Hi Trevor…yes, never the easiest of away fixtures. Ampthill’s strength has always been is their forwards so with a scrum that hasn’t been overly reliable these last few games that’s certainly a worry. However, we‘ve beaten stronger sides in that time so I remain optimistic we can come away with the win.
Yes, have some photos somewhere of the old speedway track showing though as the grass dried out in the summer when the Bears were still playing at the BPA. It looked very strange!
Thanks, as always for taking the time to post a message!
Tim
just somewhat worrying travelling to Ampthill at the moment the A's they certainly on fire current form four straight wins on the spin,always difficult place for us to play,will be a good test how far club has come this season if we can come away with an away win, just reading your blog thoughts from last Friday the all weather 5g pitch excellent for Coventry big downpours.I was trying frantically to get an article few years back prior to new pitch being fitted ,the day fire brigade sent an appliance to water the then grass BPA pitch rock hard clay underneath some years back! crikey possibly about 2016-19 long time back memory not brilliant these days, thanks for the rea…