Promotion is just the first step

ROB BOX is in no doubt as to what the outcome of today's crucial Hampshire One match will be. 'I just do not see the Guernsey Rugby Club going out and losing this game. It means too much to us. I know that the players will be going out and giving it their all,' said the club's head coach.

That is far from arrogance from Box - the ex-army man would not allow arrogance in his team - but it comes from the belief that has grown within the club as the season has progressed.

Back in September when he was looking ahead to his first season in charge of first team affairs after taking over from Dave Wallace, Box was conservative in setting his targets. A top five finish was, apparently, the aim.

He readily admits now that his hopes were higher but he resisted from burdening his players with too great a weight of expectation.

'We knew we could definitely win the league, but you do not want to say it at the start of the season.

'I have no doubt that these guys could go up again next year from London South-West Four.

He and assistant Colin McClatchey were quick to add though that providing they do achieve promotion this afternoon, the initial target in Lonson South-West Four will be a mid-table finish.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves quite yet.

It is important to reflect on what has been a tremendous season for the GRUFC and the way that the first team has turned from the proverbial bridesmaid to bride.

Box is happy to give much of the credit to his predecessor, who put the building blocks in place.

'Dave Wallace gave us a great platform to work off,' he said.

'From the coaching side, we have been very lucky because we have had good quality players to work with; some people have been here for years and some people who have come in this year.

'The Welsh boys, for instance, have been fantastic for us.'

The first decision Box made as supremo was to install a team of coaches and it has proved to be a very sound judgement on his part.

'We set our stall out to change the club as a whole: how it runs and where we want to be in three years. Even if we do not come top of the league, we have still gone further than expected.

'Mac controls all the backs while the forwards are my forte and we work well together; my forwards compliment his backs and vice-versa. We knew that Guernsey had decent forwards and backs but they did not play together. They were two separate units.

'From watching Jersey in Siams, they are very much a whole team and they could change their game plan when the situation requires. I think now we have that.'

But although progress has been made, there is a hint of a perfectionist in both Box and McClatchey.

Although they needed to be asked for their highlights of the season, they required no encouragement in pointing out the very few disappointments.

Still, 95% isn't bad and they also had key players missing for those games, in particular Stuart Lloyd-Jones, on whom the coaches agree that if he had been available all season, the champagne would have already been opened.

But that is not meant in a disrespectful way to any of the players who have turned out for them this season.

The one regret they both have now as they approach the final game of the league season is that they are restricted to selecting just an 18-man squad.

'We have used more than 40 players during the season. Those guys who have come in from the seconds have done a great job in bolstering the team. Everyone we have put out there on the park went out and did it for us.

'Although on Saturday we can put 18 people on the team sheet, we would love to be able to put the 40-odd who have done it over the whole season,' Box said.

'Everyone who has worn the shirt this season has not just gone out to play for themselves, but to play for everyone else who was out there with them.'

'Another good thing has been Foote's Lane stadium. The players always react well to being at home with a big crowd. There must have been 150-200 people at least for every home game and it does intimidate visiting teams.'

But the coach reserved special praise for one particular player who is a stalwart of the club.

'A guy who has shone for me is Jock Quesnel. For a 41-year-old, he has dominated the line out for us and that has been so important because if you do not win the ball, you do not win games.'

Away from the pitch, Box and McClatchey paid tribute to the work done by club chairman Adie Le Page and his wife - 'they have been fantastic' - and also thanked their own wives for their patience and understanding.

'I don't think even the players realise how much goes on away from playing. The only way to bring the club on is the players have got to do more for their club,' Box said.

Of course, even after the issue of the Hampshire One title is settled, there is the little matter of the Siam Cup remaining this season - at St Peter in a week's time.

'It has been 18 years since the club was last promoted and then they did the double - league and Siam Cup,' said Box with a sly grin.

'Yes, we would love to win the Siam obviously, but the league is more important to us.

'We have said this year that perhaps we are not ready to win the Siam yet. All we wanted to do was compete against Jersey. If we can compete and give a good account of ourselves I will be happy.

'Then we will have shown them that our rugby has moved on.'