Coventry Rugby 14 Chinnor 19 - Chinnor forwards the difference in another disappointing Cov performance

Come down off your throne

And leave your body alone

Somebody must change

You are the reason I've been waiting so long

Somebody holds the key

Well, I'm near the end

And just ain't got the time

And I'm wasted and I can't find my way home

Can't Find My Way Home - Blind Faith

It wasn't an easy game to watch...

...and nor will this be an easy post to write.

By Alex Rae's own admission at the recent Fans' Forum, the away to trip to Chinnor back in October had been Coventry's worst performance of the season; a wake-up call for everyone involved and the catalyst for some improved displays in the run up to Christmas.

But yesterday's loss was, in many ways, even more disappointing especially following as it did the poor second half display against Bedford the week before.

Yet it had all started so well.

Two tries in within the first 7 mins and a Coventry side that looked fired up and ready to play the expansive, running rugby that has typified Cov's approach in recent games.

However, for the following 74 minutes or so, Cov found themselves drawn into a forwards' battle that, as they game wore on, they seemed less and less likely to win.

It's not as if Coventry didn't know what to expect. In the build up to the game, the club had even given the supporters the stats:

'(Chinnor) arrive in Coventry with a reputation for physicality and relentless work rate. They currently lead the Champ for lineout steals (30) and have recorded an impressive 2,929 attacking ruck entries, underlining their ability to disrupt opposition set-piece ball and dominate the contact area.'

Knowing something will happen and having the ability to prevent it, though, are two entirely different things as we saw yesterday. Chinnor's pack were relentless and began to dominate the ruck, causing us constant problems and slowing down the ball enough to ensure our half backs didn't have either the time or space to exploit what looked a much less threatening Chinnor back division.

Chinnor often contested the ruck, far more than we seemed to, or if not more, then certainly more effectively. The all-weather surface should have given us an advantage but the wet conditions probably levelled things out a little and it says much about the fitness levels of the part-timers that they only made two changes among the forwards (plus an enforced change to the hooker through injury) during the entire 80 plus minutes.

By halftime, the situation had shifted, and although Coventry maintained a slim 14-12 lead, momentum favoured Chinnor as Coventry were down a player with Tiki Nayalo receiving a yellow card for a high tackle.

Chinnor dominated the second half, controlling territory and possession and having several chances to establish a clear lead. However, a mix of their poor decision-making and Coventry's strong defence enabled the home side to stay in the game right up until the end.

In the final minutes though, I did think Chinnor managed the game well, with their forwards holding on to the ball for long periods and when they did decide to kick, doing so effectively. Even so, Cov managed to overturn a couple of rucks themselves and with penalties to follow, potentially had opportunities to snatch an arguably undeserved victory from the jaws of defeat.

But on each occasion, Cov lost their composure completely with wayward passes putting the receivers under immense pressure. It was almost laughable at times and as a result we handed advantage back to the opposition without testing their own defences in those closing moments.

It's one of the very few occasions where I've left the ground feeling the players had really let both themselves and the supporters down - not because there was a lack of effort, I never believe a team doesn't give of its best in terms of its industry and endeavour - but because of their inability to react to Chinnor's intensity, to respond differently once it was clear that Plan A just wasn't working.

Selection for the game was obviously made difficult by the number of players still side-lined through injury, but with both Onisivoro Nayagi and Mackenzie Graham available, there looked to be more options open to them than against Bedford the week before. The gamble to play Api Bavadra in the back row appeared to pay off almost immediately with his break creating the opportunity for Jordon Poole to score his second try within just 7 minutes of the start, but after that the bold decision to move him into the pack didn't really seem to work to Cov's advantage.

If there had been no other options, it would have been more understandable, but that wasn't the situation. From an outsider's perspective, it's unclear what Nayagi and Graham would have thought about it. I'm sure it was explained during the week, but it would be intriguing to hear a) the coaches' reasoning for including Api at 6 and b) whether they believed the move was as successful as they hoped/anticipated.

While the crowd did its best to support the players during the game, there were obvious signs of frustration as spectators exited the gates after the final whistle. Much of the discussion focused on the quality of the officiating, with both the referee and his assistants facing criticism. To be fair, it seemed as though Chinnor got away with a bit more than Cov, and at times during the breakdown, they were probably fortunate not to be penalised more, playing right on the edge of legality. However, this is not a criticism of them; their strength lies in their forward power, which they used to great effect yesterday.

For me, though, of far greater concern was Coventry's inability to put a plan B into effect. I'm sure there was one, but Chinnor were able to stifle any attacking intent we had after our second score to such good measure that in the end we offered little in the way of attacking threat.

Without Morgan Strong or Allan Ferrie, our forwards seemed lacking in their ability to penetrate defences. Tom Ball had a decent break in the second half but ended up isolated, and Api had one in the first half, but beyond that, I can't recall any others. Both Bedford and Chinnor have managed to neutralise Tiki's forward threat in recent games, and Aristot Benz-Saloman hasn't been as impactful as he was before Christmas. Tiki has played far more minutes this season than I was expecting and perhaps he's struggling to take on the added load in the absence of the two other ball carriers.

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 vultures are beginning to circle above the BPA and, in particular, the coaching staff. With Cov's inconsistency this season and the loss of a number of eminently winnable games already after three promising seasons under Alex Rae, it's inevitable (and right) that fans will expect more of a club that has aspirations of topping the Champ in the coming seasons.

However, I don't believe removing AR is the solution. With limited opportunities to play outside of the Championship, why would the club bring in someone else, likely at a higher cost, when the ongoing lack of promotion and competition within the league suggests that motivation will continue to be an issue?

Moving from 4th or 5th place to 2nd or 3rd is the best we can aim for right now, and achieving those two or three positions would come at a significant expense at a time when we're already implementing cost-cutting measures to avoid continuing the £800,000 losses we've experienced annually over the past three seasons.

Alex Rae has demonstrated that even with a smaller budget, he can create teams that compete for the top two spots. While we've been beaten by semi-professional teams, so have Ealing, Doncaster, Pirates, and Worcester. Since the club has clearly stated that they won't pursue promotion unless the RFU changes its stance on the Champ, it makes more sense to maintain the current approach and focus more on the Academy. This will help bring in young talents like Martin, James, Ball, Brock, Mitchell, and Opoku, all of whom have played or are currently playing successfully in The Championship.

Having only two and a half coaches though, with Steve Boden being the half, is more of a concern for many. It seems AR is likely taking on a greater coaching role since James Scaysbrook left for pastures new. Instead of seeing AR leave, I would prefer bringing in another coaching option. There are many talented young coaches available who wouldn't be too costly and could significantly impact the team, as demonstrated by the success the Academy coaches have brought to the club.

With games against Ealing and Hartpury to come in the next three weeks (with a home banker against Richmond in between - at least I say banker but given our current form...), the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. Hopefully, the majority of fans will show a little more patience than we're seeing from some but if the club remains silent, as it so often does when things get a little bumpy, then it will only serve to antagonise fans further.

As attendance at the BPA continues to decline, leading to a significant loss in crucial revenue, a downturn in the club's performance must be worrying. On Saturday, it seemed that the number of people enjoying pre-match hospitality in the marquee had again decreased. With the club reducing prices for the Richmond game, there must be concern that attendance might drop even further.

The minute's silence held before the game to honour John Wilkinson's passing and his remarkable contributions to the club as both reporter and saviour in 2008/09 was among the most moving moments I've witnessed in over 60 years of watching Cov.

I was fortunate to have a seat at the old Coundon Road ground right next to the division between supporters and the press box, sitting beside John for many years. He often chatted before a game, providing insights into the club and the game that I wouldn't have had otherwise.

The only sound that could be heard for those 60 seconds of silence was that of the pouring rain on the roof of the main stand...the tears of the countless thousands of faces of the fans who owe JW so much.

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Steve Winwood with Tom Petty rather than Blind Faith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8nWtXp7ns4