: Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:01 pm
Got back from France late last night.
The team stayed out of town for the first time. The point I gather was to keep the guys focused and remind them they needed to win.
It seems to have worked very well. We started the game well with good and confident flowing rugby.
Catalans played very well but we tackled well and for once we seemed to be in the right places to stop breaks.
They seemed determined that they were not going all that way to play badly and the early points were well earned. Greg Bird has been made captain and was leading them around the pitch.
A couple of mistakes and a couple of good Catalans breaks seemed to shake that early confidence and the crowd got on the back of the ref who handed a couple of penalties to Catalans to bring them back into the match.
Their second try took them 3 sets and 2 penalties to get through and I don't think that reflected badly on us.
The team were nervous though and it was clear they were worried about falling to pieces again hence 18 all at half time.
We didn't start too well in the second half and started missing tackles. Deacs was off the pitch with a twisted ankle which he'd tried to run off without success.
The video ref seemed to have his finger stuck on the no button though and the locals were not happy. Last ditch tackling had saved us and as the final quarter approached we re-gathered and pushed on, finishing the match as we started with some smart passing and stout defence.
None of us believed that we could come back that final few points but once again it was that last final push which left us with a victory in France.
I think it's the prospect of facing the fans on the plane back - nobody moans like a bulls fan and its 2 hours on the plane.
Perhaps a threat to lock the players in a room with moaning fans after defeats will produce that kind of performance every week!!
The smart playing started with a wonderful kick picked up by the Beaver - and finished with the players clearly overjoyed to have passed the French test. Poor Paul Sykes looked terrified as he took the penalty which brought us level and looked no less scared when he converted Halley's winner - even though the clock showed 40 minutes and we were 4 points in front.
One word is at the centre of the team at the moment and that is CONFIDENCE! They can play and they need to start believing it.
We've got some tough matches ahead with in-form Cas, another trip to France and the old enemy back at Odsal as our next home game.
As supporters we need to start showing some support at the game!
Keep the moaning for the message boards!
Everyone at the game screamed their throats sore and the boys obviously appreciated it. We can do a lot more with more people at Cas!
