Foundations in place to let Cov kick on now, insists boss Winter
DIRECTOR of Rugby Rowland Winter says that Coventry Rugby have been going in the right direction over the first nine weeks of the Greene King IPA Championship and Championship Cup campaigns.
At the November break Coventry sit fifth in the Championship table, just three points behind Ealing Trailfinders in second, and – perhaps more importantly – with away trips to Newcastle (first), Ealing and Jersey Reds (fourth) already under their belt.
Meanwhile in the Cup, Coventry have two wins and a losing bonus point from their three games, and going into the second batch of matches are well placed to reach the quarter-finals for a second successive year.
A four-match unbeaten run in the league may have been bookended by away losses to Jersey and Newcastle, but Winter says that the foundations, ability and potential are all there for Coventry to kick on when rugby resumes on November 30.
“In the first nine weeks we knew we had a tough run of fixtures, away to Jersey, Ealing and Newcastle,” he said.
“We wanted to get some points on the board and be up there at the top end of the table. We’ve done that and are fifth at the moment.
“We also wanted to be in a decent position going into the second part of the Cup, looking good for a quarter final spot and pushing for a home tie, and we’ve achieved that as well.
“There is lots of evidence that we’re moving ahead as a club, both on and off the pitch.
“I think we’ve got another gear to go into and we’ve put ourselves into the position to be able to be successful. Now we’re going to be looking for more consistency week by week, and that’s the biggest learning point from that first six games in the league, looking at the small details.”
One of the key building blocks has been the durability of the Coventry Rugby squad. Significant injuries have been relatively few and far between.
“Twenty out of the 23 match-day squad has stayed pretty consistent week by week,” Winter adds. “We’ve rotated around who’s started, but we’ve been able to put a similar group out each game, which helps consistency.”
Cov’s next match against Ampthill at Butts Park will be the first of a fourgame run which includes Cup trips to Bedford and Ealing and the preChristmas clash with Nottingham.
Winter is now looking for the squad to come back refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to take on what will be four major games in helping the club take that another step forwards.
“Results will come if we get the performances right, and if the performances are consistent then we can go unbeaten between now and Christmas,” Winter said.
“But there are some tough games away to Bedford and Ealing, and some tough games at home as well.
“So we’re going to have a few days off and then concentrate on our next game against Ampthill. They’re going to be much improved and will be more Championship-hardened, so that will be a big test for us.”
I think we’ve got another gear to go into and we’ve put ourselves into the position to be able to be successful. Rowland Winter