The problem for Warriors fans, as I see it, is that up until Christmas they believed everyone else saw there side as very much the 'enfant terrible' of The Champ, disliked by many for reasons which they felt were unfair, and in the case of some supporters (like those from Cov) grossly hypocritical. We see it differently, of course, but as a group it united them against a common foe and in so doing gave them strength.

Rae has said previously that he'll only bring in players who will strengthen the squad and his track record as far as recruitment is concerned is impressive...Imagine an additional 9 players added to this squad all better than those leaving. Not only does it give the coaches more options, it should also raise performance levels to even greater heights and narrow the gap between ourselves and Ealing, hopefully enabling us to be the best of the rest which is pretty much all we

...whether this had any impact on the game itself is all hearsay BUT from the opening whistle Nottingham were as fired up as any team this season in those opening minutes. Notts flew out of the blocks and it took some excellent defence to keep them from scoring, with Cov struggling to gain any decent possession. Fired up they most certainly were but Cov managed to hold firm and Ferrie's opening try was really against the run of play. A second try two minutes later following a

When the final whistle sounded, the sun had emerged, bringing a sense of Spring with it. From the elevated pitch, one could see a few fruit trees in bloom, adding a burst of color to an otherwise drab landscape. A metaphor for new beginnings perhaps, of hope for the future? As far as Cov is concerned, the shoots are already there for all to see.

It wasn't a complete Cov performance by any means, but Cov were disciplined and denied Hartpury any sort of meaningful platform on which to build. At no point in the game did they lead Cov, although Hartpury had pegged us back to 14-14 at the break despite Cov looking the better of the two sides in the first half.

In some ways, it's unfortunate that the Forum didn't occur a couple of weeks later - back then, we were on a 5 or 6 game unbeaten streak, and the meeting's tone was optimistic regarding our on-field performance. After the disappointing games against Bedford and Chinnor, I believe there would have been different questions posed to Alex Rae, and given his commendable honesty, some straightforward answers as well. If the online Supporters' Forum is anything to go, the vulture

...but Cov have slowly built up momentum and despite what was, for me, a pretty average display against Cambridge, they've consistently picked up points of late and look to be in a good place right now. A significant amount of recognition should be given to Alex Rae and his coaching team. Despite facing criticism early on from certain quarters, they managed to ignore these external distractions and concentrate on their strengths, effectively responding to their critics

There really aren't many tougher places to grind out a win in The Champ than Caldy. Cornish Pirates, perhaps, but that's about it. Regardless of the opposition's quality, the nature of the exposed ground, the limited atmosphere (the result of the pitch being open on three sides) and the slope make it very challenging for any visiting team. Not mention the tough, gritty northern opposition. Never, ever should they be underestimated. Ampthill is comparable in terms

Post-match, there have been plenty of comments rightly praising the likes of Maunder and Thomas for their roles in changing the momentum of the game, but I've not heard or read anything regarding what was for me a very different, a very tactical, use of the bench. Had there been a couple of further injuries at the start of the second half, then Cov could have been really exposed but, as it was, the plan worked to perfection

A totting up of the individual attendances last weekend (Round 1) indicates that 17580 were present at individual games and a further 12420 plus watched via ClubberTV. I imagine that figure will drop a little once the novelty wears off but it does appear a significant number, one that The Champ certainly feels is worth publicising. It would be really interesting to know if that figure is in line with original projections and whether televising all the Champ games is financia

Coventry Rugby didn't effectively manage supporters' expectations during that period. Although senior figures in the club have since stated that they anticipated the RFU's rejection of their Premiership bid and viewed it as a chance to identify areas for improvement before reapplying in the future, at the time of the bid, it seemed to be a sincere effort to compete for the Championship for the rest of the season and to seriously contend in the playoffs if Cov won the league i