Coach demands high standards

Ireland legend O’Connell would tell his team: ‘Let’s be the best at everything that requires no talent’, referring to the nitty-gritty of rugby such as getting up after making a tackle, chasing back, cleaning-out rucks etc.

Following last week’s 28-19 defeat to Birmingham & Solihull Bees and a performance that he labelled ‘an embarrassment’, Reynolds wants his players to show a desire to put things right, starting tomorrow away to Tonbridge Juddians.

‘We cannot perform like that then expect things just to be swept under the carpet. I know there are a lot of coaches after a performance like that who would talk about something positive, but we are a very honest team and we were very honest with each other when we spoke after the game and in training this week,’ said the Guernsey coach, whose own mood improved dramatically within 24 hours of the defeat when he and Malcolm Barnes won the half-time draw at the Guernsey FC v. Hasting United game at the same venue on Sunday.

But, back to the rugby.

‘We have to set a high standard. Yes, injury-wise we are at the depth because we have 19 or 20 guys unavailable to us, but still the performances have to be of a high standard,’ Reynolds said.

‘We can use excuses about our injury situation, but that does not mean those playing cannot be first to a ruck, make a tackle or have the necessary work-ethic.

‘We can be beaten by a better team and have no problem with that, but last weekend the Bees were not a better side than us and we felt there were six or seven guys “arm-chairing” it and letting others do the work so, despite the unavailabilities, we wanted to make changes to prove a point.’

In the provisional squad Reynolds has named for tomorrow’s trip while waiting on fitness tests on a couple of players, there are six personnel changes to the starting XV as well as three more positional ones.

Some have been enforced with Dale Martin injured while Matt Thomas has exams and both Jason Batiste and Sam Steventon are unavailable.

Returning to the side are flanker Robin Le Cocq and Daley Aremu, the winger who has not played since being withdrawn at half-time of the second game of the season against Worthing due to a foot injury.

‘It has been a bit of a waiting game for Daley since then,’ said Reynolds.

‘But we have 11 backs unavailable to us through injuries and unavailability at the moment, that has left us with just six or seven guys so it does make it tough but there is no point in shying away from it, we want to make changes and see how it works out.’

Elsewhere, Henry Greenhalgh will get his second start at fly-half with Elia Morisio shifting to centre while Callum Gladstone comes in on the wing.