Ed hopes for Bedford

By Elliott Josypenko
February 23 2005

Pertemps Bees skipper Ed Orgee is keeping his fingers crossed that the latest knee injury in his stop-start season will heal fast enough for him to return to action for the Powergen Shield semi-final against Bedford on March 5.

The winners have a Twickenham final to look forward to while the losers are just playing the season out.

He said: "The physio has said three weeks, so it will be touch and go. Hopefully I will be back before the end of the season, for a couple of games at least."

"The focus has changed and the Bedford game is the biggest of the season for us, with a day out at Twickenham, hopefully.

"They lost at the weekend again so their form has been up and down - not as down as ours - but that is a massive game for us now, that is the big focus."

Orgee's participation will depend upon his healing powers.

A second scan has indicated a medial ligament strain - which is a much better diagnosis than original fears that it was a repeat of the injury which required surgery at the start of the season.

The scan has gone off to a consultant in London and Orgee is awaiting his opinion.

"We wait to see what he says but hopefully, there is a possibility of playing against Bedford." In the meantime the skipper has to encourage his team from the sidelines and he saw some signs that the Bees once again could be stirring at Sharmans Cross Road against second-placed Bristol.

He said: "It was disappointing because we lost 23-0 but it was a lot better performance than of late. We defended a lot better for a start.

"We used to be renowned for that and then we let that leak a bit for the last couple of months.

"The line out was better but when we approached their line we got turned over or lost crucial lineouts and we were vulnerable to penalty, corner or push over try. We stopped them once though and there were a lot more positives to come out of it."

Orgee said that the team have been doing more specific launch plays and pattern work.

He said: "We tried to simplify the game plan a little bit.

"We looked on Saturday a little bit more like we knew what we were doing and it was crucial mistakes that let them back in the game, penalties and whatever which took them into the corner.

"If we can get that out of our game then we will be more effective."