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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:02:01:21:54:22 by AdminBTCov.

Unlucky today Cov, your boys contributed to what was a great game of rugby, well played. Hope Tony Fenner is okay looked nasty when he came off. Good luck for the rest of the season.

Cheers I Ron. Can we have Sharpy back?

Quote:

AdminBTCov
Cheers I Ron. Can we have Sharpy back?

He's our only "fit" fly half with the other 2 injured!

Sharp certainly played well and how we are used to seeing him play, would've been great for him to have gone that extra metre to score the final try instead of having to do the offload.

Coventry certainly played well and almost did what rarely happens, which is beat Blues in a purely all out attack game of rugby.

Wow, wow, wow... what a game of rugby!!
If last weeks game was imo one of the worst to watch in many a year, this was one of the best in many a year.. il get this out of the way.. we lost... but in what fashion!
Both teams seemed intent on playing open, slillfull, entertaining rugby. One of our tries I’m the first half was possibly the best handling I’ve seen this year, and knox’s take and try at pace was exquisite.
All in all a fantastic attacking performance.. man for man on the day I felt we were the better team, with the difference for me was the Bedford 15 who I’d compare to stokesy esq at his best and then some! He for me was the stand out performer in a stand out game.. one of the type you won’t see again for a long time!

It’s a shame we lost by scoring 52 points, but 2 league points away at Bedford should be celebrated, as should the performance.
Well done lads, that was the performance and game of the season for me.

The only down side was the injury to tony fenner, to his arm/shoulder which looked pretty bad. I hope I’m wrong, but I suspect it might put him out for a while..

Nige

A fantastic game by both sides. We struggled with their 9 and 15 who were very lively. Who thinks Jake Sharp is rubbish now???

Quote:

HoboAl
A fantastic game by both sides. We struggled with their 9 and 15 who were very lively. Who thinks Jake Sharp is rubbish now???

Me. Total garbage
. quote from a old playing., friend
his slimming club is doing ok.
His kicking is still @#$%&.
At least three of his kicks going wide until the wind hit them.
Hope you I enjoy your Sherry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:01:26:22:51:59 by Mark.

Sharp was.. good grubber kick for one of their tries, and a pass to score.. but who didn’t pass to score on that game! I certainly didn’t come away from the game thinking we had lost a quality player, or someone better than we already have.. also the Bedford fans said he had a shocker at jersey last week.

In other news cov apparently Hold a new championship record!!!
52 points is the highest score in the league ever that hasn’t actually won the game!! :-)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:01:26:22:01:21 by Nige H.

Quote:

Mark

Quote:

HoboAl
A fantastic game by both sides. We struggled with their 9 and 15 who were very lively. Who thinks Jake Sharp is rubbish now???

Me. Total grabage. quote from a old playing friend his
slimming club is doing ok. His kicking is still @#$%&.
At least three of his kicks going wide until the wind got them.
Hope yiou I enjoy your Sherry

Kickers use the wind Mark. Sherry? It sounds more your tipple than mine.

A shout out for Mr Nutley who almost, almost got us over the line.. A great squad efgort today.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:01:26:21:28:11 by HoboAl.

First away trip this season and what a game, made in no small part by a referee who actually did his job and prevented the permanent offsides at ruck and mail that have killed recent games.
I thought Jake Sharp had a cracking game and did everything you'd expect a top fly half to do, but then I enjoyed his time at BPA.

Quote:

Nige H
In other news cov apparently Hold a new championship record!!!
52 points is the highest score in the league ever that hasn’t actually won the game!! :-)

Not quite, highest ever score to lose a game in the Championship... Scottish v Blues 23/12/17 last season finished 52 - 52 last season.

Sharp came on for the last 20 - 25 mins v Jersey and set up our last try. Wasn't there but hard to say he had a shocker when we were already losing at that stage.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:01:26:23:39:17 by TryBlues.

Try blue... thanks for that... although 52-52 is a draw, so wouldn’t we still be the highest losing score? Not that it’s any way important! :-)

What a breathless and fantastic game made so much better by some excellent refereeing by JP Doyle! And made all the more enjoyable by a good crowd and very decent supporters from both sides who clearly enjoy their rugby.
In the first half Andy Bulumakau was on the wing on the side on which I was standing and I regret to say that his defensive abilities are simply not good enough. On many occasions he was sucked into being out of position, and when he wasn’t the one-on-one tackles were less than impressive.
I would suggest that Bedford’s full back will be snapped up by a Premiership team very soon. Their scrum half was pretty good too.
The injury to Tony Fenner looked very painful. RW says he “popped his shoulder”. Let’s hope for a speedy recovery. After all, he has been one of our best players this season.

Quote:

HoboAl
A fantastic game by both sides. We struggled with their 9 and 15 who were very lively. Who thinks Jake Sharp is rubbish now???

I never did.

Mark

A few pics added.

I'm sure a few beverages were enjoyed last night following a good day out, but please have a cup of coffee or two (or even a good night's sleep) before posting.

It's good to be nice.

Highlights from Blues here [">vimeo.com]

Quote:

TryBlues
Highlights from Blues here [">vimeo.com]

Thought at the time Jake's pass for the first Bedford try was forward...now we know

You can also see that one of the first half tries from Coventry was dropped like we suspected in the stand!

Quote:

AdminBTCov
A few pics added.
I'm sure a few beverages were enjoyed last night following a good day out, but please have a cup of coffee or two (or even a good night's sleep) before posting.

It's good to be nice.

Seconded - I've done a little light touch moderation here, deleting a couple of accidentally duplicated posts. Let's not take the line that anyone whose opinion we differ from is under the influence, eh. It may or may not be true, but it doesn't really add much to the debate.

On that point, I rather enjoy the odd glass of sherry personally, but never until the sun's over the yardarm. Chin chin.

Russ.

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TryBlues
You can also see that one of the first half tries from Coventry was dropped like we suspected in the stand!

Touché! I thought I spotted that in the highlights too. Doesn't much diminish from what was obviously a cracking game. Let's hope for a similar attitude between the teams when we meet again, must have been brilliant to have been there.

Cheers,

Russ.

If the club are showing this game (Bedford V Coventry) before the next home game. Please get their early to watch it. Very much worth the effort to do so.

covmick/Michael Carter

So frustrated that circumstances dictate that I've missed out on most games this season.

Quote:

covmick1/Michael Carter
If the club are showing this game (Bedford V Coventry) before the next home game. Please get their early to watch it. Very much worth the effort to do so.

Is that Development v British Army Tuesday or Hartpury?

Was a brilliant game, and a great day out. Huge thanks to Bedford, we had a lovely meal in Nos's Nosh before the game, good chat with Bedford fans. All in all, just what you want from a rugby point of view (apart from the result obviously). Every Cov player played their heart out, was great to see the backs cut loose, and forwards were immense, thought Ben Nuttley and Adam Peters had their best games for Cov. Watching JP Doyle ref was a pleasure, I think a lot of the flow of the game was helped by him, just shows what effect a ref can have on a game. Sure the boys were gutted, but they did us proud, and although the drive back was a bit subdued, I am so proud to be a Cov supporter.

Close is nowhere, we can't win a game away from the BPA.

Why is that ?

Team selection or player quality ?

Just a question 😉

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covkid53
Close is nowhere, we can't win a game away from the BPA.
Why is that ?

Team selection or player quality ?

Just a question 😉

It's a fair question CK, but I don't entirely accept the principle that 'close is nowhere'.

Losing a game by two points out of more than a hundred, to a team the third in the league, at their place, in the dying seconds, is nothing like the same as losing by (say) fifty unanswered.

'Nowhere' is zero league points, 'close' is a losing one plus a bonus for scoring for four tries. That's also a big difference when it's a tight league.

Additionally, winning away isn't easy and we're the new guys in this division. It looks like there's every chance that we'll be the most successful newly-promoted team in a good while, and we seemed to have earned the respect of most of the clubs that we've played.

So personally I'm not really buying into the false dichotomy (imho) of an issue with either the team selection or the player quality. I'd argue that we're actually meeting or exceeding expectations for our first season back, but that is obviously just my opinion.

Cheers,

Russ.

Totally agree with you Russ. We knew this league would be tough, yet we are holding our own. I said from the beginning I would be happy with top 10, then move on to next season

This is one of the issues of promotion. You go from being the best and winning most of your games to in the nicest possible way average at best whereby you try and win more than you lose at home and any away win is a bonus with the aim to pick up bonus points.

I know one of your coaches aim at the start of the season was to not be in the relegation battle and be more lower mid-table. This is exactly where Coventry sit. You can still end up anywhere from 6-10. This will be a successful season.

Those 2 points have now ensured your place in the division for next season, so you can use the remaining games to get more accustomed to physicality and enable you to prepare better for next season.

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TryBlues
This is one of the issues of promotion. You go from being the best and winning most of your games to in the nicest possible way average at best whereby you try and win more than you lose at home and any away win is a bonus with the aim to pick up bonus points.
I know one of your coaches aim at the start of the season was to not be in the relegation battle and be more lower mid-table. This is exactly where Coventry sit. You can still end up anywhere from 6-10. This will be a successful season.

Those 2 points have now ensured your place in the division for next season, so you can use the remaining games to get more accustomed to physicality and enable you to prepare better for next season.

With 9 matches left to play I'm not sure any places are a certainty and Hartpury showed yesterday that they haven't given up the ghost.

Victory over Hartpury in 2 weeks time would give Cov a cushion of 24 or 25 points over them. I am absolutely certain nobody is taking anything for granted, I too endorse Russ's comments.

30 points historically has been a surviving number... so we get to do it all again next season!

Quote:

covkid53
Close is nowhere, we can't win a game away from the BPA.
Why is that ?

Team selection or player quality ?

Just a question 😉

Players decision making on the pitch mainly and game management.

Obviously I failed to convey my abject disappointment at losing a game from 35-14 in front. :-(

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covkid53
Obviously I failed to convey my abject disappointment at losing a game from 35-14 in front. :-(

I think we lost the game in the last 20 minutes of the first half and first 10 of 2nd.

Some silly unecessary infringements around half way line or just in our half, so they could kick to corner and keep us boxed in and under pressure. Silly things like when they won the breakdown and were picking the ball a spoiling hand. Halafonua carrying from deep facing a wall of defence, switching to a one hand carry and knocking on just outside our 22! Pete White outnumbered, just let them score and dont draw a yellow and send us down to 14...they scored anyway!!

Fenner made such a difference at 10. Kicked well and the most creative we have been all season.

We havea couple of weak tacklers at the back so we need to bolster that. I am not saying we shouldnt keep who we have but it is about the mix. Plenty of options in tbe forwards. But a couple of injuries and the backs are exciting but weak in the tackle. Need more of a mix.

It was a great game and on balance a good 2 points away from home.

As Covkid53 asks though 14-35 up is a strong position to lose from. We were under a little pressure in our 22 but defended well then won a penalty. Then a period of isolated player errors gave the momentum back to Blues. A missed touch from the penalty, a few phases later and try to Bedford. Start of 2nd half yellow card and 10 points conceded. 17 points gone for 2 split second errors. From that point it was lottery and unlike last week we didn’t win this close encounter.
It is tough to be critical of the players as they clearly work incredibly hard but this level and above is unforgiving.

Quote:

covkid53
Obviously I failed to convey my abject disappointment at losing a game from 35-14 in front. :-(

No, I think you made you pessimistic view (again) as abundantly clear as any other.

Glass half full here, not empty.

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Rob C

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TryBlues
Highlights from Blues here [">vimeo.com]

Thought at the time Jake's pass for the first Bedford try was forward...now we know

But look at the quality (aside from a slightly forward pass). The game is being played at breath-taking speed, Sharp gets the ball and instead of flinging it out, he looks up, surveys his options and - for a second - it's as if time stood still. And then he picks out his man and score.

Class fly-half play.

But, their full back? Wow. Probably, the overall point of difference for me.

Mark

Quote:

Diesel74

Quote:

Rob C

Quote:

TryBlues
Highlights from Blues here [">vimeo.com]

Thought at the time Jake's pass for the first Bedford try was forward...now we know

But look at the quality (aside from a slightly forward pass). The game is being played at breath-taking speed, Sharp gets the ball and instead of flinging it out, he looks up, surveys his options and - for a second - it's as if time stood still. And then he picks out his man and score.

Class fly-half play.

But, their full back? Wow. Probably, the overall point of difference for me.

Mark

After further views the loop of the pass makes it looks more forward than I first thought.

Playing devil's advocate, Sharp picked out several nice passes during the game and his grubber kick through for one try and break and pass for the final score were sublime.

Consistency may be an issue with him but his reaction at the end of the match showed that this particular game meant a lot to him...

Now, who was it who took their 22m drop out, which gently wobbled through the air about 10m into some very suprprised waiting Coventry hands?

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OldNick
Now, who was it who took their 22m drop out, which gently wobbled through the air about 10m into some very suprprised waiting Coventry hands?

From which we went over the white wash.......

Don't forget that was Sharp's 1st start in a proper match since Coventry last played him... yes he didn't quite get under the drop out and sliced it, but who took the short kick off straight after Coventry scored, which Blues regained.

There is a reason why when he was at Blues last time his was often considered the best fly half in the division and Blues being a top 4 team.

Not a bad performance for someone out of match practice.

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TryBlues
Don't forget that was Sharp's 1st start in a proper match since Coventry last played him... yes he didn't quite get under the drop out and sliced it, but who took the short kick off straight after Coventry scored, which Blues regained.
There is a reason why when he was at Blues last time his was often considered the best fly half in the division and Blues being a top 4 team.

Not a bad performance for someone out of match practice.

Given his history in the game, he's clearly a decent player who just never quite got going at Coventry. He was a key part of a team that just stuck 50+ points on us, so clearly he's still no mug!

I don't quite get the hostility towards him; if you look hard enough there will be mistakes out there from everyone on the pitch - slipped tackles, knock-ons, bad calls, it's the nature of sport at this level. Why highlight just JS - he's moved on, perhaps we should too.

Best of luck to the bloke as far as I'm concerned, and to Bedford too. I want to see more games like that personally, even if sometimes we come off on the wrong end of it...

Cheers,

Russ.

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Cov_InPeace

Quote:

TryBlues
Don't forget that was Sharp's 1st start in a proper match since Coventry last played him... yes he didn't quite get under the drop out and sliced it, but who took the short kick off straight after Coventry scored, which Blues regained.
There is a reason why when he was at Blues last time his was often considered the best fly half in the division and Blues being a top 4 team.

Not a bad performance for someone out of match practice.

Given his history in the game, he's clearly a decent player who just never quite got going at Coventry. He was a key part of a team that just stuck 50+ points on us, so clearly he's still no mug!

I don't quite get the hostility towards him; if you look hard enough there will be mistakes out there from everyone on the pitch - slipped tackles, knock-ons, bad calls, it's the nature of sport at this level. Why highlight just JS - he's moved on, perhaps we should too.

Best of luck to the bloke as far as I'm concerned, and to Bedford too. I want to see more games like that personally, even if sometimes we come off on the wrong end of it...

Cheers,

Russ.

The voice of reason, as usual Russ...