Raiders have yet to hit their peak
RAIDERS are yet to peak – and if and when they do, they will be the best side Guernsey Rugby Club has ever had.
That’s the view of Raiders’ head coach Jordan Reynolds, who saw his men end Wimbledon’s unbeaten start to the London & SE Premier season and, in so doing, perhaps become favourites to land the title and with it automatic promotion back to the National League.
‘Ultimately we had to get the win so it now remains in our hands,’ said the coach, who can look at the league table with great satisfaction and a three-way title race going into 2020.
‘We have got five of the top six coming to us, which will be an interesting battle,’ said Reynolds, who sees a Raiders team getting better almost by the week, even allowing for the shock loss of the Veamatahau brothers.
‘I think this team is better than the one that got promoted two years ago. Or it will be.
‘It is more mature and more fluent in the backline.
‘Potentially, we are a better side but we are not there yet. We still have to peak and I would like to think that by February we will be at our best.’
Reynolds said that for all of the physicality of Saturday’s game, Raiders seem to have got away with no concerning injuries.
The only injury he reports is the one that affected his fellow coach and scrum half maestro Malcolm Barnes.
The Kiwi, who had planned to retire once and for all at the end of last season, was scheduled to provide backs cover at Wimbledon but in yet another slice of horrendous luck, he snapped his ACL ligament in a knee as he twisted in training last Thursday.
Barnes has had a brace fitted and will have to undergo surgery at some point, but his season is over.
