Newly appointed Head of Rugby Gareth Elliott has had an impressive impact on the squads with regards to being unbeaten so far, in the respective BUCS Super Rugby League and the National 2 West League. I sat down with Gareth earlier this week to discuss the season ahead and the upcoming fixtures.
Although it is early in the season, EURFC has seen brilliant results across the recent games, in both leagues. ‘We’re in a position where we started the Saturday league campaign really well, and we are trying to get as much as we can from every game.’ When asked what needs to be done to keep the winning streak, Gareth Elliott stated that:
‘I think the target isn’t necessarily about keeping it that way, from a coaching point of view. The main target is to look ahead to the tough fixture on Saturday, which will be a great challenge for the guys involved. Luctonians are a top of the table team, and we are showing good form as well, so it’s bound to be a really exciting match. One of the great things for the coaches, is to look at this challenge and see how the boys can respond’
Upon reflecting on the away fixture last week, against Old Redcliffians, Exeter Head Coach continued ‘We definitely have got points to work on from last week, where we had a hard fought away win against a tough side. The pleasing thing about last weekend, was how we stood up with our set piece, and if we continue with this we give ourselves a really good chance to express ourselves with our play. The main thing for me is that it’s not about continuing to win, but for the boys to continue to develop and take these challenges head on’
Looking ahead on the EURFC Calendar, the game against Durham on the 25th October in our ‘North vs South’ fixture at Sandy Park is a key one in the calendar. The Head of Rugby elaborated about the preparations and excitement for a game like this.
‘We know that the North vs South fixture is on the horizon, and it’s an occasion that each season everyone gets really excited about. It’s a time where the student population can gather and witness what’s a really exhilarating game every year. For the guys, they are focusing on each match at the moment. However, when we come around to the game and the build up, we will really look forward to the challenge of the opponent, Durham have had a great start to the season; it’s also a great chance for us to showcase the ability and talent of the squad to a wider audience, live and a game that is going to be streamed.’
This weeks BUCS Super Rugby game saw Exeter make the long trip to Nottingham to face the side at Highfields, where Exeter came away with the bonus point win. ‘I’m really enjoying working with the group of players, that are bonding well. I saw that in abundance this week with the overnight trip to Nottingham. This definitely showed in a really cohesive performance on the field, it wasn’t perfect but it was a performance where we functioned really well as a team. It’s enjoyable working with guys who are working really hard together and for each other. Similarly, the Coaching team are putting their best foot forward in regards to both competitions. We know that there will be challenges ahead of us, but we are looking forward to the run up to Christmas and seeing where we can put ourselves in both leagues