Owen had high expectations but the relentless nature of the league and our style of play have made it a testing season. |
Tactically, it will be interesting to see how the game develops, |
That was rubbish. Two teams having a real off-day. It's difficult to explain performances like that. |
The attrition rate and the physicality we see in the game these days is immense, as you could see from the six Premiership matches last weekend, some of which were basically 80 minutes of sheer warfare. |
The players responded magnificently. Two days after Christmas, they have given everything for the club - you cannot ask for any more than that. |
The supporters are frustrated, we are ourselves, and we know we owe them because they follow us all round the country. The rugby they've seen at Kingston Park this season, apart from half-an-hour against Bath, has been extremely poor, and hopefully, with a clean slate and a new competition on Sunday we can go some way to repaying them. |
There was no pressure from England but you have to weigh up a player's mental and physical state at this time of year. |
There's no such thing as lack of confidence. You either have it or you don't. |
This is a devastating blow for Phil, who has really developed as a player in recent years and become a vital member of the squad, |
This is an opportunity for us to give Toby a start, because he deserves it, |
This is an unfortunate setback, and is in the hands of the medics, who will continually monitor the situation. |
This is basically a knockout game, because I believe the winner will go on into the semi-finals. |
To be without Phil for such a length of time is a major setback, but he is a strong character and I am sure he will come back from this. |
Under tournament regulations we have to name our team by noon yesterday and while we are happy to do that, the number of fitness tests we have over the course of the weekend means this team may well change by the time kick-off comes. |
We are all frustrated with some aspects of our forward play but we've just got to be patient and keep working at it because we have personnel of a high enough quality to turn it around. The supporters are frustrated, we are ourselves and we know we owe them because they follow us all round the country. The rugby they've seen at Kingston Park this season, apart from half an hour against Bath, has been extremely poor and hopefully, with a clean slate and a new competition on Sunday, we can go some way to repaying them. |