CO-OPERATIVE RUGBY LEAGUE CONFERENCE PREMIERSHIP, MIDLANDS DIVISION
Wednesday 18 June 2008
Having broken their losing streak with a narrow 42-38 win over Birmingham Bulldogs last week, the Gloucestershire Warriors travel to the unbeaten league leaders Nottingham Outlaws for their next Co-operative Rugby League Conference Midlands Premier division match this weekend.
The Outlaws were comfortable winners at Chosen Hill in May scoring eight tries in a 42-14 win and Martin Crick’s side have swept all before them this season averaging over 40 points a game and look short-price favourites to lift the Midlands crown.
The Warriors face a stiff task as their form is inconsistent with three wins and four defeats from their seven games and they have lost as many games this season as they did in the whole of the 2007 campaign. That included 48-12 and 32-12 defeats in Nottingham in the first and last matches of the Warriors’ season.
Not only is the Warriors’ form inconsistent but their team selection has been so as well. Coach Tom James has used over 40 players this season with unavailability meaning that combinations have little time to gel as players get to know each other and structure in attack and defence is harder to build.
James is expecting a tough game this weekend. “Nottingham played really well at our place and look to be the best team in the division this season,” he said. “But I know we can play at somewhere near that level, we just haven’t done it consistently enough.”
“We had a great spell against Coventry and played some good stuff last week against Birmingham where we looked dangerous with the ball, but we seem to lose concentration and leak points. If we do that this week then we’ll be in big trouble.”
The win over Birmingham propelled the Warriors up the table to fourth above Derby City who lost 46-16 at Coventry last week. A win for the Warriors would be against the formbook but would be a huge boost and with City hosting Birmingham this week they will be hoping that the Bulldogs do them a favour and record their second win of the campaign.
Bedford Tigers sit third and face the trip to Leicester, whom they beat 100-0 in the second week of the season. While a repeat of the score is unlikely, the Tigers should have more than enough to win and win well to maintain their challenge for a play-off place.
Kick off at The Bay is 2.30pm and the referee is Nick Evans.
WARRIORS MILESTONES
Stephan Fourie scored his sixth try of the season and is the Warriors’ top scorer so far this campaign. Having kicked two goals he is also top points scorer with 28.
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Chris Wilson
Media Manager, Gloucestershire Warriors RLFC
Tel: +44 (0)1684 850903
Mobile: + 44 (0)7905 931033
Email: gloswarriors2004@aol.com
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The Gloucestershire Rugby League is an organisation for local rugby league clubs in Gloucestershire. Our main activity currently is to promote rugby league through the County and give useful information about our sport to the public of Gloucestershire.
