Glackin makes case for Cov defence but says it's only half..

of the story

COVENTRY coach Pete Glackin has expressed his pride in his team’s league-leading defence but has warned the Butts Park outfit they cannot afford to rest on their laurels.

The Blue and Whites stand sixth in National One, having lost just twice in their last eight games, a run built on the back of the tightest defence in the division.

Cov have conceded 216 points in their first ten games, two fewer than leaders Rosslyn Park and 49 less than Saturday’s opponents Esher, and Glackin believes the recent organisation and commitment is the product of several years’ work.

Indeed, the backs coach traces the beginning of Coventry’s story all the way back to 2010 when Phil Maynard had to rebuild his squad following relegation from the Championship.

But former Rugby Lions coach Glackin insists their status as the league’s toughest nut to crack is little more than a statistic – and one that could change after this weekend’s visit to Molesey Road.

“This started three years ago and it has taken us all this time to get where we are now,” Glackin said.

“It’s about getting the right systems and the right personnel and that comes down to experience.

“When we first started on the journey we were very young and didn’t have that experience, it was a case of having to out-score the opposition to win a fixture.

“This team has come through lots of trials and now we have the systems in place and looking back that represents real progress.

“But it means nothing at this stage. It’s nice to have for this week but it might not be the case if we don’t carry on working hard.

“If the last few weeks have told us anything it’s that we can’t just rely on defence and this group have come a long way in learning that.

“But we still have a long way to go, we are nowhere near where we want to be but we are taking steps.

“In pre-season we conceded 30 or 40 points a game, we coughed up 70 in just two matches, but now we are conceding ten, 12 or maybe 20 points and that is a big difference. It’s nice having it but it doesn’t mean anything yet.”

Click here for more on this article.