Head Coach Rory Duncan spoke to the media ahead of Saturday’s European Challenge Cup match against Stade Francais.
Here’s what Rory had to say….
On qualifying for the quarter-finals
- We have not spent a lot of time looking at the table, we really have been taking it week by week.
- We have another big challenge this weekend with Stade. We have been going over their games from the last couple of weeks and they are a decent outfit with some big ball carriers.
On the possibility of a home quarter-final
- We are fighting for the win first. We are prepping ourselves to win, if we get a bonus point that’s fantastic.
- But our focus at this moment in time is to make sure that we get the win. It won’t be an easy task but we will be well-prepared for the weekend.
On the win at Ospreys
- We said it was going to be tough going there. We managed to get points early on, we lost our way a little but in the second quarter but we managed to pull it together nicely after half-time.
- We selected a lot of players that needed an opportunity and game time and I believe a lot of those guys really put their hand up.
Ethan Waller and Simon Kerrod played the full 80 minutes at Ospreys
- That wasn’t the plan, They needed a good hit out and we felt that we were going well. The guys were feeling good.
- Ethan did a great job for us at loosehead, Simon had about 12 ball carries and he made 12 or 13 tackles.
- Both were still going strong at 70 minutes so we just decided to play them out. Making changes in the dying minutes is always risky.
- It’s important that everybody gets game time, that’s how you become a better player. I can imagine it was frustrating for Jack Cosgrove and Joe Morris that they didn’t get a game but they are both good team men and I’m sure they will get opportunities in the coming week.
On the likely team selection
- Quite a few more guys will come in this week. A couple of guys who didn’t get an opportunity last week will filter back into the team.
Injuries
- Josh Adams is not available for selection this week. If we take risk with him now he could be out for six to eight weeks.
- Farai Mudariki has a niggling injury at the moment but I’m hoping we will see him in a Warriors jersey in the next couple of weeks.
- Francois Hougaard has trained fully this week and he is available this week. We haven’t finalised selection but he is definitely under consideration.
- Ollie Lawrence came off with cramp at Ospreys. He has trained this week and is fit and ready to go.
- Nick Schonert is not yet contact fit but he will be in a week or so.