Pratt: We can only focus on winning our final game

RUGBY

Head coach Andy Pratt insists Canterbury Club are solely focused on securing their highest ever league finish when they visit Clifton on Saturday, despite a faint glimmer of hope in the National 2 South play-off hunt.

Second-placed Ampthill host mid-table London Irish Amateur and need just a point to ensure the only promotion play-off place, while Canterbury need three points at the Bristol side to ensure they finish third and ahead of Bishop’s Stortford, who host champions Hartpury.

Pratt said: “Mentally and physically the season has taken its toll but we couldn’t be more motivated for the final game. We still have a chance of the play-off place but we can’t afford to focus on anything other than ourselves.

“We need to win our game, that would ensure third place, and only then can we worry about how Ampthill get on.

“It’s been a good season regardless of what happens on Saturday. We’ve beaten every team in the division, bar Clifton, and we still have the chance to finish in our highest ever league position. We’d have certainly taken that at the start.”

He added: “We have the utmost respect for Clifton, they are dangerous opponents, we’ve had a couple of close games with them and had it nicked away from us. We can’t relax for one minute.”

Brook Cowan returns from injury but Mark Livesey and Aiden Moss miss out.

Canterbury wing Kwaku Asiedu has been chosen for the England Counties under-20 side after a final development and selection weekend ahead of a game against Georgia under-20s at Cambridge on May 24.