New Quins coaches get an early win under their belts
ABERAVON Quins’ new coaching duo Andrew Dacey and Patrick O’Callaghan are up and running following a timely 29-12 bonuspoint home win over Maesteg Celtic in One West Central on Saturday.
The popular pair have taken on the coaching responsibilities at the Quins until the end of the season after the club parted company with head coach Michael Hook at the start of the month.
Dacey and O’Callaghan’s first game at the helm was a 15-7 defeat at Tondu on December 8, but they got their first taste of success with victory over Celtic — only the side’s third triumph of what has been a difficult campaign to date — to lift them off the foot of the table.
Alex Condon, Kyle Broom, Kieran Brennan and Liam Oates were the Quins’ try-scorers, while Ryan Pugh kicked their other points.
“It was a great result in terrible conditions,” said O’Callaghan. “We’ve only had two training sessions with the boys and this was our second game.
“It was a tough game for us, but we’ve got tougher games coming up. We’re hoping to stay in our league.”
O’Callaghan also said he and Dacey have quickly gone about trying to change the mindset of the struggling side they inherited.
“The majority of the boys know us already and all we said to them was start playing with a smile on your face,” O’Callaghan added.
“It’s just about a change of attitude and getting the boys back interested in playing rugby again.
“Sometimes one coach doesn’t generate that sort of interest and other coaches do and that’s all it is.
“And we did that on Saturday and it has got us buoyant again.
“We’re looking forward to the next couple of matches coming up and we’re going to find out where we are as a group.”
The result took the Quins above Waunarlwydd, whose home game with Ystalyfera was postponed.
Quins’ final league match of 2018 is at Skewen on December 29 and they will be facing an in-form side
Skewen’s 11-6 win at Tondu on Saturday was their fourth on the bounce, three of which have come Furnace scrum-half Dan Rees gets his backs moving.