A range of reasons for difficult start
Captain admits poor availability has impacted results
A wide range of contributing factors have hindered Windsor RFC’s season according to captain Chris Emmett, with the Royals currently 11th in the Tribute South West 1 East holding onto two wins alongside seven defeats.
Their last appearance was a 70-0 trouncing by Oxford Harlequins on November 6 and since then, Emmett and his men have had a week without competitive action, hopeful that the time off will have refreshed and rejuvenated their rugby.
“It’s been a hard start to the season,” he said. “I think it’s been particularly difficult post-COVID where the boys are getting used to training every week and playing again every weekend after such a long period away from the sport.
“Our availability at times could be better but that’s purely because of a backlog of things like weddings – I missed the first game of the season for my brother’s – and other guys have had holidays etc. That hasn’t really helped us get a consistent team out every single week.
“I believe some of the clubs in our league that have done the best are the ones who have got a routine playing group.
“I also think also where our club is – being very close to London – we have boys that work in town and maybe have more things going on than clubs in other parts of the country. I don’t think that’s unfair to say.
“In terms of our results, of course we’d like to have a few more wins than we have so far. We haven’t had some great results, but, for large periods of those games, we’ve played some good rugby and been really competitive.
“It was good to have a weekend off because we have had a few bodies out. Hopefully, they will be refreshed for a big performance on Saturday, and hopefully, a big win.”
Windsor are due to play a sixthplaced Sherborne this Saturday who were defeated in their last game, 20-22, to Trowbridge. Skipper Emmett is optimistic that should his side be victorious at the weekend, a sequence of positive results could start to ‘snowball’ through the winter.
“The victories we have had this year have been at Home Park. Everyone enjoys the away days
but it is nice to be playing at home again,” he said.
“I’ve personally played against Sherborne a couple of times and always had some really good and close games. So, I’ve got the utmost belief this weekend is a great opportunity.
“I am very confident that if we get one win, our form will snowball and we can turn it into two or three, or even four.”