Press Conference Notes 15.01.19

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.

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