Cov Rugby 61 London Scottish 10 - yer bum's oot the windae if you think Cov are on the slide as hosts gie it laldy to peelie-wally Scottish
- 1874tsmith
- 18 hours ago
- 8 min read
And you can't find the room to move
Well, everybody better move over, that's all
'Cause I'm running on the bad side and I got my back to the wall
I was stranded in the jungle
Takin' all the heat that they was giving
The night is dark but the sidewalks bright
And lined with the light of the living
From a tenement window a transistor blasts
Turn around the corner, things got real quiet real fast
Tenth Avenue Freeze Out - Bruce Springsteen
Sides under the stewardship of Alex Rae seem to have the admirable ability to bounce back in style after a disappointing performance.
A heavy defeat to Ealing (36-63) was followed by a resounding victory away to Richmond (17-52). Cov then lose to Hartpury (36-31) after a stinker of a first half, only to thump Ampthill (68-26) the following week. Next came the disappointment of those final few minutes at Doncaster (24-21) and the loss of a game that was there for the taking. And this weekend, true to form, Cov demolish Scottish in as one-sided a game as you'll see all season.
The current squad's inability to string together a series of wins makes them somewhat frustrating to watch. The talent is evident, and when Cov manage to play consistently, they seem capable of defeating any team in The Champ, even Ealing if they happen to have a rare off-day.
Okay, Scottish are certainly the poorest of the sides we've played so far this season but Cov looked a class apart and arguably should have scored a couple more tries had they not tried to force the pace a little too much in the opening 20 frenetic minutes or so.
The sizable crowd of over 2800, approaching the numbers one might anticipate against a team that hasn't historically attracted large attendances at the BPA, enjoyed some entertaining running rugby, with the backs capitalising on some excellent ball won by the forwards who dominated the rucks and mauls the more the game went on.
I'm not sure whether the stats would back this up, but it felt as if we kicked far less than we have at times this season and with far fewer handling errors going forward, we caused the Scottish defence all sorts of problems and in truth, they struggled to handle the pace and directness of our runners, with Cov transitioning to devastating effect.
The penalty count, 21-7 (according to the TRP) in favour of Cov, is indicative of the pressure that Scottish found themselves under and I thought they were a little lucky to get away with just a couple of yellows in the two 10 minute periods either side of half-time when the penalty count should really have justified earlier warnings.
I'm not sure just how taboo a subject Nick Johnson's departure is at the moment but given this blog is really about reflecting on all things Cov from a supporter's perspective, it would be amiss of me not to make comment or, rather, add an opinion or three.
Given it was very much the first subject on most supporters' lips as we walked around the pitch before the game, to avoid any mention of the CEO's exit from the club just wouldn't be a true reflection of the day. Johnson's gave his reasons in a fairly brief statement earlier in the week, citing 'the barriers to promotion have made investment much harder to come by and has meant that both the club and I have to rethink how we best satisfy our respective ambitions' and I think we have to accept that is the case, given there is nothing in the public domain to suggest otherwise.
Nonetheless, I find it odd that although Johnson is not leaving Cov until the end of the month, he seemingly wasn't present to start his final goodbyes to fans, especially since he had been a visible figure at games in recent weeks and after mentioning in the same statement that 'the support of fans and staff has been magnificent and such an important part in transforming the club into what is now one of the best clubs in the country'. Perhaps he had a prior commitment and will be present for the Pirates game...
Equally surprising is the lack of any mention of Johnson's departure in Jon Sharpe's match day notes, forming part of the e-programme published on X on Saturday. Again, in fairness the notes could have been written before the decision was made although that does seem unlikely given the press release was on Tuesday, so the decision would have been made well before that. JS also made reference to likely weather conditions on Saturday suggesting it was written closer to the weekend and after the announcement.
I often overanalyse situations, but Johnson's absence from the game, along with the lack of a statement in the program, seems somewhat inconsistent with the enthusiastic remarks he and Sharp made in the initial announcement. Of course, if I am reading too much into it, then I apologise unreservedly; it's just how it appears at face value to an isolated supporter.
Despite all the good things that have happened under his tenure, the increased gates, the improved results, the increased in investment in from sponsors/local business etc, the overriding sense I got from chatting with folk on Saturday was that it was no bad thing that he was moving on for both parties concerned. I've never spoken to Nick Johnson in the five years plus he's been at the club so I've no insights of my own to add, but there was certainly a feeling that his departure might be best for all concerned.
That said, I hope he gets a decent farewell in front of the main stand post-match just as any player who'd been with the club for as long would receive - the old 'framed shirt and a handshake' is kind of the tradition these days and I'm sure there are those who would wish to add their own thanks for what he has brought to the club despite the above.
It was a good to see so many youngsters on the field before the players came out for their Saturday warm-up. Schools from near and far were in attendance, and with a swarm of parents and relatives buzzing around (because, let's be honest, someone had to drive them there!), there was a noticeably better atmosphere leading up to the game. Many even stuck around to watch the match itself. Hats off to Cov, who rolled out a couple of inflatables for the kiddos and a giant game of Velcro tic-tac-toe that appeared to be a great hit with the kids. There's been a serious lack of fun stuff on game days, and if this becomes a regular Saturday shindig, then I'm all for it.
There is no official Unofficial Champ Foodwatch today since a review was already posted earlier. Seeking something different, Josh deemed the Scottish game a fitting event for the yearly pilgrimage to Istanbul's—the Turkish restaurant on Butts. This spot was a favorite pre-game dining choice for his uncle and grandfather nearly 30 years ago and continued to be for many years thereafter.
Now, I don't mean to knock the gourmet delights available at the stadium, but for a mere £8.50, you can snag yourself a donner meat, pitta, chips, and a drink—it's a deal that's harder to beat than a toddler on a sugar fix. That said I must admit, the £9 pie and chips in the clubhouse are throwing their hat in the ring for the title. Sure, these aren't exactly the choices your doctor would cheer for, but hey, there's a hint of salad in there somewhere, so it's practically health food given the context.
The current Food Watch standings remain:
The Unofficial Champ Food Watch - 2025/26
Doncaster Knights 8.0
Chinnor 7.5
Worcester Warriors 7
Richmond 7
Coventry Rugby 6.
Caldy next weekend always provide stern competition so I'm expecting the table to look a little different in a week's time.
One of the more surprising aspects of the season so far is the relative low number of players used by Cov in the opening nine rounds of the Champ. As far as I can recall, Rae hasn't relied on any dual reg/loanees and there are only 31 players included in the official Cov squad* on the website which includes Dylan Morris who has yet to play a game, I think? Although we've suffered a few injuries, it's been nothing like some previous seasons (we didn't have a recognised full back for much of last season), and with serious competition on virtually all positions, the coaches have been able to rotate the squad, thus avoiding too much fatigue.
*I'm beginning to doubt myself on this now I've written it!
In turn, this has meant that in many games we've seen a particularly strong bench, especially amongst the props and despite the loss of Suva Ma'asi, young Murray Davidson has proved a more than adequate replacement at hooker. Although Cov have suffered 5 losses so far this season, even in defeat the strength off the bench has been a positive for the most part and going into a run of games that includes Caldy, Nottingham(h), Cambridge and Pirates (h), all games we might expect to have a good chance of winning, that ability to bring in players of such quality at this level could make a very real difference.
Despite a mixed beginning to the season, we are presently in 8th place. If we can win three of our next four games, the standings will change significantly, and we could find ourselves in a playoff position, particularly since Nottingham and Pirates are only a few points ahead of us.
Although we're below where we might have expected to be in early December, we're in a reasonably good place and there are clear signs that we're making progress on the pitch, even including the Doncaster result.
The scrum has been fairly consistent all season, and although we were penalised a few times yesterday, the forwards definitely had the upper hand in both set pieces.
(As a side note, the Scottish bench featured Marijn Huis, a second-row player who was likely one of Alex Rae's first signings as Interim Head Coach following Rowland Winter's departure in early 2022. He was injured before the start of the 22/23 season and, as far as I remember, never actually joined Cov. Based on yesterday's performance, he probably wouldn't have significantly contributed to the squad given the quality of the players who've joined us since then!).
Morgan Strong was named the sponsors' Man of the Match and was among several players who delivered outstanding performances. Just before the announcement, I had chosen Tom Ball, but there were many other strong contenders. In the backs, I thought Api looked very effective on the wing, and although this might seem controversial, based on David Opoku-Fordjour's performance this season, I don't think he's automatically guaranteed a spot out wide upon his return.
Api is a formidable presence, consistently breaking the first tackle, and things tend to happen when he has the ball—similar to DOF in that regard. However, at the moment, he's creating opportunities and also looks very solid defensively. Initially, having played a lot of sevens over the previous few seasons, Api was prone to cramping up, but he's got a fair bit of game time under his belt now and looks all the fitter for it.
In the upcoming match against Caldy next weekend, on what is expected to be a very wet and energy-sapping pitch, Cov won't have the same time and space they enjoyed yesterday, making it likely to be a much tighter contest. Although game management wasn't a concern yesterday, it could become crucial up on the Wirral. However, if Cov have learned from those final moments of the Donny game, I believe the team can overcome Caldy over the full 80 minutes. While the conditions might also have an impact, apart from the first 40 minutes of the Donny game, Cov has been impressive in their last three games, and their confidence heading into the match should be high.
It will be an interesting contest and we have been out-thought and out-played on Paton Field before, but despite it being a relatively young squad, there's shed loads of experience at this level, enough certainly to bring home the points.
The night is dark but the sidewalks bright
And lined with the light of the living
From a tenement window a transistor blasts
Turn around the corner, things got real quiet real fast
After a gloomy and discouraging beginning to the season, it seems we are finally making progress - the sidewalks appear more illuminated, and the path forward feels calmer without all the distracting noise.
Up the Cov!
Long but worth the watch!