Coventry 30 Rosslyn Park 29 by John Wilkinson.

The forwards, who have gone from strength to strength over those three games since coming under fire against Cambridge, put down another solid platform, driving Park back at the line-out while the power of their scrummaging earning a penalty try.

It also led to Park conceding eight first-half penalties, three of which O’Connor turned into points including one huge kick from 48 metres and another from close to the Park ten-metre line.

These proved crucial as Cov, 23-0 up at half-time, came under increasing pressure after the break – some of it, it must be said, self-inflicted – and only just made it over the finishing line.

Harrop had made a good start to his first game of the season, his tackle on Ross Laidlaw leading to Cov’s first try, but with lock Sam Herrington moving into the back row, the forwards responded positively and despite a few scares along the way, the whole side answered one important question – they can win a game without Myring, the quickest Cov player to reach 100 points in any league season, whose all-round performances and organisational skills have been so instrumental in Cov’s good start to the campaign.

After a scrappy opening, Cov fed off every mistake by the opposition before the break to establish a healthy advantage.

Winger Jeff Gregson snapped up a loose ball and ran 70 metres for their first try after 14 minutes when the visitors lost possession in their backs, O’Connor converting before thumping over a penalty from near halfway just a couple of minutes later.

Laidlaw uncharacteristically missed a head-on penalty chance for Park from just outside the home 22 and Cov claimed their second try after 33 minutes when they tied the Park scrum in knots and referee John Meredith awarded a penalty try.

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