Coventry need to tighten up defence warns director of rugby
By Brian Dick, Coventry Telegraph
September 17 2010
PHIL Maynard has told his improving Coventry players they need to put as much effort into addressing the team's defensive shortcomings as they have in improving their potency in attack. Cov won their first game of the season last weekend, an exciting 45-32, seven-try victory over Stourbridge with a performance that was manna from heaven for their thrill-starved supporters.
That took the Blue and Whites’ total to nine tries in two matches but Maynard admits the more expansive approach has come at a cost.
While Cov have been running them in at one end of the pitch, they have also been leaking at the other and Stour added five more tries to the five shipped up at Tynedale.
And with redoubtable Sedgley Park to visit on Saturday, Maynard knows things have to tighten up if Coventry are not going to become a soft touch.
“Clearly defence is something we have struggled with and something we need to improve,” the rugby director said. “We need to address the balance we have got with our attack.
“We are developing quite a wide game at the moment and we have to look at how that impacts on what we are doing when we don’t have the ball. We need to be a bit more diligent in that area.
“We have been subjected to counter attacks, often from our own poor kicking and from perhaps hiding behind rucks.
“Even when we don’t have the ball we have to widen out a bit and make sure we are not as easy to out-flank.
“I can’t fault the effort of the boys, though. They’ve taken on board everything we’ve asked of them so far and no doubt will continue to do so.”
Coventry’s cause will be helped by the return to fitness of Kurt Johnson and Seb Pearson, both of whom come into contention for the trip to Park Lane.
Canadian international Pearson is a marauding back rower who made a big impression in his first season in English rugby with Stourbridge last season.
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Definately need to work on stamina and getting over the finishing line..
In all three games we have lost the second half conclusively, this for me is a very serious failing and could prove a disaster for our season...... we do not want to drop straight through this division.
It may be time to bring in some experienced heads to stiffen things up before it gets serious.
