Coventry Rugby 44 Doncaster Knights 24 - a hard day's (k)night for Cov as Donny put to the sword

When I'm home

Everything seems to be right

When I'm home

Feeling you holding me tight

Tight, yeah

It's been a hard day's night

And I've been working like a dog

It's been a hard day's night

I should be sleeping like a log

But when I get home to you

I find the things that you do

Will make me feel all right

Ow!

A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles

In Week 8, Cov ultimately fell to a resilient Knights' performance up at Castle Park. A try by Russell Bennett in the 79th minute secured a 24-21 victory for the home team, despite Cov having performed well enough throughout the game to deserve the points themselves.

Cov have also narrowly missed out in other away games this season too, either by starting slowly and leaving themselves with too much to do in the final stages (as witnessed at Hartpury) or by losing late on after a solid 60 plus minutes of play (at both Worcester and Bedford).

It's a hard day's night at times for Cov and a case of 'when I get back home to you, the things that you do will make me feel alright'.

As, indeed, it was yesterday. At home, in front of what is often a pretty partisan, but appreciative, Cov crowd, the team looked relaxed and in confident mood and in the end Doncaster had no answer to their power and pace. It was a really impressive win.

Neutrals posting on the National League Rugby Discussion Forum had Donny down for the win after a series of improved performances before the 3 week break, but it was clear from the first whistle that Cov had every intention of making amends for the earlier defeat to Donny back in November.

And after a fairly even first 20 minutes or so, Cov dominated the rest of the game, scoring 7 tries and showing the kind of form that could yet see them put in a serious challenge as runner-up behind Ealing, even with Nottingham and Pirates (a) and Worcester (h) still to come.

In the end, Cov proved far too strong for a battling Doncaster side that worked hard all afternoon and just about deserved their bonus point for scoring four tries. They were actually flattered a little, however, by the scoreline and had it not been for an uncharacteristically poor day off the tee from Tommy Mathews, the extra ten points from missed conversions might have been a truer reflection of the gulf in the end between the two sides.

When the team was announced on Friday, the 7-1 spilt on the bench certainly raised an eyebrow or two, with Tom Miles the only back present. It seemed inevitable that at some point one of the forwards would end up in the backline and so it proved, with MacKenzie Graham coming on for Api Bavadra for the last 15 minutes after he'd run himself into the ground in a thoroughly entertaining 65 minutes of committed rugby, both in attack and defence where he made a couple of very important interventions.

The fact that the game was so open, with Cov eager to run the ball whenever possible, highlights Head Coach Alex Rae's strong commitment to playing attacking, entertaining rugby, even when the team is short on players. With backs like Baker, Morris, Sullivan, Maunder, and Thomas all absent (presumably through injury), he might be excused for opting for a safer strategy by keeping the ball within the forwards more often to protect the few backs he has available. However, that just doesn't seem to be his approach.

So, as it turned out, Cov played a more expansive game than I'd expected but in the sun and in front of an appreciative crowd, it all made for a very enjoyable afternoon. Hopefully, we'll get an update of the Cov players currently unavailable - it seems that other Champ clubs are happy to provide limited information to their supporters; it would be good if Cov followed suit.

As for the game itself, I was pleasantly surprised by the extent we dominated the Donny pack. In previous seasons, the visitor's strength has often been built on the physicality of their forwards. Yesterday, however, saw the Cov scrum take control early on and it was no real surprise when Donny made a couple of changes to their front three at the start of the second half. But even that didn't seem to have a great impact especially.

Behind them, their backs got little change for a very well organised and resolute Cov defence, so much so that the introduction of Rokoduguni went pretty much unnoticed. Like Cov, they must be suffering a few injuries themselves and the absence of the Olowefela brothers will have significantly affected their attacking options - both of them have been a thorn in our sides over the last few seasons for their respective clubs and I certainly wasn't upset when I saw they were missing!

And Alex Dolly failed to get on the score sheet, too. He's another player who has always made life difficult for us whenever we've faced him but yesterday I thought he was very subdued and he, too came off early.

Cov benefited from some Donny ill-discipline at the start which on which they fully capitalised. A series of quick penalties allowed Cov to first kick to Donny's 22 and then pressure the Donny line, where Tiki eventually scored on 3 minutes. For the next 10 minutes, Donny dominated, playing in our 22 and creating a couple of very good scoring opportunities. A try at 13 minutes was well-deserved, but from that point, Cov began to take control, and two quick tries from Allan Ferrie left Donny having to play catch up and they just hadn't got the resources to do that.

The game featured several standout moments, the most impressive being a remarkable run by Api Bavadra, which began at his own 22 and concluded just a metre short of the Doncaster line. He first defied all expectations by breaking the initial tackle, skillfully staying in play, and then breaking through additional tackles when it seemed the run had come to an end. Bavadra is quickly becoming a fans' favourite, and there's a palpable excitement among supporters whenever he gets the ball at the moment.

Cov were quick to get their big ball carriers running at the opposition, with Strong, Ferrie< Green and Nayali breaking the gain line with impunity. As a result, defenders were sucked in and quick ball allowed our backs to thrive, with Adderly-Jones putting in a really impressive performance. This wasn't a game where, as so often is the case these days, there were prolonged periods of aerial tennis and whilst tactical kicking obviously has its place in the modern game, Cov looked all the better for its absence.

Senior Academy Sam Harding was able to enjoy a 15 minute debut, too. He looks a big lad and it will be interesting to see if he's promoted to the senior squad at the end of the season; I'm guessing that if they trust him enough to play Champ Rugby now, then he's got every chance the likes of Sam Gibson, Taio Varndell and Will Dorrell, although that might be a year too soon perhaps?

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When we arrived at the ground yesterday at about 1.15 pm, events to celebrate the renaming of the BPA to the Nick Newbold Stadium were well under way with the newly erected Nick Newbold Pavillion a hive of activity with guests there enjoying a pre-match buffet of sorts and a chance to enjoy some rare sunshine.

Its positioning to the right of the end of the pitch as you look at it from the main stand actually as much to the character of the stadium, making that far side seem much busier and livelier than it ever was with a couple of food vans there. Hopefully, this will be a permanent addition to the outdoor facilities, although quite how it would be used when not hosting special events such as Saturday's will need clarifying. With the main hospitality marquee seldom full, it would seem unlikely that it would be used as an overflow, especially given the distance from the kitchens. An alternative food area would be ideal though.

Hopefully, if it does remain, access around the front or back of the pavillion will be given to allow the likes of supporters like myself to walk round the ground before the game; it's surprising just how many people do get a few laps in prior to kick off' in between breaks for a char or a bite to eat.

Since the club has gone to the expense of setting it up, complete with signage. it would seem strange were it only to be temporary when the club is always looking at ways to cut costs. That would make no sense at all.

Whilst I'm not personally in favour of the renaming of the ground, fair play to the club - it did what it always does at such events, it put on show appropriate to the occasion. It wasn't at all maudlin but rather a celebration of Nick Newbold's importance to the club and to the city as a whole.

Did I feel the love?

No, not at all, but I politely clapped along with the other three thousand odd supporters, grateful to Nick Newbold's contribution to Coventry Rugby whilst at the same time oblivious really to what it was.

The day perfectly matched the occasion, and Nick Newbold's family, particularly his brother, appeared deeply grateful for the club's gesture of renaming the ground in Nick Newbold's memory, as well as for the supporters' generous thoughts and actions.

Jon Sharp speaking to supporters in advance of the minute's applause

However, the fact still remains that the club hasn't won over the hearts and minds of many of its supporters as far as the renaming is concerned. No one I chatted to before the game was in favour but the consensus was that before too long it will become accepted and we'll all move on to have a moan about something else, such is the nature of supporters these days. Most, like me, aren't actually against a change per se but feel that someone with whom the majority of supporters can identify would have been a wiser choice. Someone of the order of Harry Walker or David Duckham, perhaps.

Even the choice of players to go either side of Nick Newbold's image on the facing wall of the player's entrance is an interesting one - Duckham and Rossborough for sure, but then Tony Fenner presumably to represent all the players from then on until today's 'greats', as symbolised by Barton and Opoku-Fordjour.

Surely Tom Ball, a local lad with 100 plus appearances should have been on there somewhere and even Tony Fenner is an interesting inclusion, gifted player that he was. It was great opportunity for the club to consult with the supporters - choose one player from each of the last 6 decades. It could have generated lots of discussion and got people talking positively about the relaunch, too.

Anyway, the Nick Newbold Stadium it is - although what happens when someone who has played an even greater role in the club's survival/success passes. What then? Another renaming? That wouldn't be a great look.

I'm certain there are numerous reasons for the change, most of which haven't yet been made public and perhaps the family is staying involved with the club in some manner, whether financially or otherwise. This could be the club's way of expressing gratitude for all the contributions the family has made and will continue to make. Who can say for sure...

That said, it will still be the BPA in my head for a while longer I imagine, no matter how many times the Coventry PA references the Nick Newbold Stadium in its announcements. It got more than a little repetitive during the course of the game on Saturday - it probably needs to be a little more subliminal than that if it's going to have the desired effect.

And talking of the PA, I did wonder if a referee would ever take it upon themselves to ignore Barnsey's countdown to the start of the game and leave him hanging...and fair play, on Saturday the ref did just that (and again at the restart to the second half). Good on you, Charlie Gaythner. Perhaps a little whistle happy at times, but I did think he was consistent for both teams and that always makes for an honest game.

Anyway, Cov look to be in good form just now, on a roll and, with a struggling Scottish next up on Saturday, there's every chance we could consolidate our current position, especially given Pirates are at home to Worcester. A loss to either side strengthens our position so it could be a very profitable weekend if Cov remain focused.

A hard day's night it might prove to be but just so long as they keep working like a dog, and a Covdog at that, all should be fine...

Up the Cov

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjyj8qnqkYI