Coventry
Season retrospective – a view from the amber zone: Part Two
By Nick M
June 25 2021
I LEFT THE FIRST part of this retrospective view of the season with the pre-season visit of Saracens to the BPA. I wrote earlier that I was not proposing to comment on all the individual matches.
As the season rolled on, the squad began to gel to a greater degree. The style of rugby that Coventry adopted was good to watch and seemed highly suitable for a season with nothing resting on it for any clubs except for Saracens and Ealing Trailfinders. It was good to see that some clubs had taken a similar approach, but very disappointing that others were taking a 'win at all costs' approach that stepped way beyond sportsmanlike behaviour. This was exposed far more than normal in the relative silence of the empty grounds. When the streaming commentator had to apologise for swearing coming over the air from players on the pitch it had clearly gone too far. When the swearing was directed aggressively at officials, and no apparent action was taken by them in response something is very wrong with the officiating, as well as the clubs that perpetrated it.
I will say little about the standard of officiating this season, except that we saw the same two referees far too many times, and, to me, the standard was consistently horrifying. Perhaps another ‘editorial’ posting on this could go into that from a more knowledgeable position?
Trips to other clubs for away games were interesting. The ground rules were the same everywhere, although local authorities had added to them, but their implementation of them varied very widely. Doncaster and Saracens were good; well organised and pragmatic. Others less so. They varied from the grossly over-prescriptive, ordering photographers exactly where to stand - incidentally much closer together than we would have through choice; the chaotic, who seemed to have brought in significant numbers of their supporters to act as (untrained?) stewards; and best of all, the one where the instructions directed me from a distant car park, to a dark building with a reception desk, where, when I rang the ‘There’s no one here’ number, and described where I was I was told “You can’t be in there, it’s all locked up” despite the two sets of automatic doors which had opened in front of me. It was good to see that Coventry was one of the grounds that got it right.
Once the defeats to Doncaster and Ealing had happened, it was obvious that the likely result was a comfortable mid-table, and this was confirmed by the unpleasant beating by Cornish Pirates. By then though the team was looking both settled, and exciting. The injury to Senitiki Nayalo made a noticeable hole in a back row grouping that for me was the playing highlight of the season. His absence did not make it a poor back row, but it took away options, and the chance to put in a fresh player, particularly when second row injuries meant that players had to cover both areas. It was very good to see 'Buzz', Ryan Burrows, win the spectators’ Player of the Season poll for his leadership and performance in that back row.
The front row was less consistently good. The early departure of Nic Dolly clearly had a significant impact, with the alternative hookers finding it hard to have the same impact. In the props it was good to see Phil Boulton providing his experience for so many hours over the season. Overall, though there were several young players up front, and sometimes they were found out against older and more experienced packs.
In the backs though youth showed through. Although I would have preferred more variety in the centres, there were some glorious movements, and when the ball got out wide against many teams scoring seemed to be the likely outcome. Again, an ‘old campaigner’, Tony Fenner, amongst the young players seemed to have a very major influence.
It will be interesting to me to see which of the dual-registration (DR) players are retained next season, and on what terms. I am not a fan of squads dependent on the academy of a single Premiership club to provide the backbone of their team, and I accept that this season Coventry had to bring in quite a number of DR players after releasing a number due to the pandemic. Overall, I think Rowland did an excellent job in his selection of DR players, and particularly in bringing in decent players from a variety of clubs. Until the RFU makes up its mind whether there will be a meaningful Championship next season - a season for which the schedule would normally be announced by now - or whether they will continue with their apparent aim of converting the Championship clubs into meaningless subsidiaries of the Premiership clubs, or bankrupt remains, I suspect the club may not even be able to decide what the squad will look like, let alone announce it.
And so, we come to the final three matches of the season. Three that, for me, sit apart from the rest of the season. I did not attend the away match in Jersey, watching the streaming instead. As such I enjoyed it. The score I enjoyed even more. The moves that led to Will Butt’s four tries exemplify what I have enjoyed this season, with forwards and backs running and passing in an open game. I knew I would not be attending Richmond due to a long-standing non-rugby commitment, so for me Saracens at the BPA was the end-of-season party. It was hard work to photograph, with so many supporters there, but still the red zone restrictions. The crowd on the Broomfield side, and the extension of the red zone into the railway corner meant that a lot of the match had to be photographed looking into a low glaring sun. There were numbers of other photographers there to avoid tripping over. The score was horrible, but the match was not. Saracens put out a world-class team, and although outmatched by this, Coventry gave a great showing. To me it was as near to a perfect ending to the season as we were ever likely to get.
So, a very strange season due to the Pandemic, and the absurd ‘punishment’ of Saracens. Probably the team most punished by Saracens’ transgressions was Ealing Trailfinders, deprived of any realistic chance of promotion by this RFU mismanagement. For the other nine teams, it was a largely meaningless season, with no relegation, and no likelihood of promotion.
The positive out of the season was that rugby was played at the Championship level, no teams have gone bankrupt (although oner has cancelled a major development), and that Coventry have taken the opportunity to play good rugby, develop players, and develop the squad.
The structure of next season has not yet been announced, and it may not be satisfactory to many of us, but going into it I would say that Coventry are in a good state to cope.
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25/06/2021 11:54
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:07:15:13:45:11 by Kimbo.
For me the highlight was the trip to Richmond, some may think their Covid protocols a little too free and easy but, for me, it was a day that reminded me what rugby should be about.
On your comments about 'unsportsmanlike behaviour' maybe it's time for clubs - including ours - to stress the importance of respect towards the officials. Assistant referees, in particular, seem to be sitting ducks for both players and supporters alike who seem to think they have more influence on the game than they actually do.
I should say, Nick, thanks very much for your article. It’s an interesting and different aspect of not just the game but the varying club’s administration too.
Quote:Cliff Bennett
Even worse, Rob, is that the players on the bench seem to think that, because they actually play the game, they have the right to vilify the officials. It’s my guess that the supporters’ comments are largely good humoured and can afford to be be ignored by the officials, but the comments by the players are of a much more cynical nature.
I should say, Nick, thanks very much for your article. It’s an interesting and different aspect of not just the game but the varying club’s administration too.
There wasn't a lot of good humour at the Saracens game Cliff...
As for verbals, lack of respect and pushing boundaries - Pirates win it all day long for me.
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