The world has become a happier place for those at Coventry this week and would no doubt appear utterly delightful if Phil Maynard’s team could register a third consecutive success at Rotherham Titans on Saturday.
Not only have the Butts Park outfit been given official sanction to go about their merry way by the Rugby Football Union, courtesy of a legal settlement with former coach Mike Umaga, their current head honcho has been able to enjoy what had become the out-dated practice of team selection.
At times this season Cov’s injury crisis has been every bit as pointed as their financial worries, with injured players and even the coaching staff asked to fill roles on the replacements bench to which their bodies were not well suited.
But all that has changed in recent days with some of their forgotten faces back in the squad.
While Kurt Johnson returned on the wing to good effect in last week’s win over Newbury, prop Rudi Brits and three-quarter Ronnie McLean come back among the substitutes this weekend as Maynard takes his team north for what will undoubtedly be a testing encounter.
“For the first time since I have been at the club we have been able to name an unchanged side,” Maynard says.
“When you are trying to get consistency of performance on the pitch, consistency of selection is a massive factor.
“We were very good against Newbury last weekend and could probably have doubled the scoreline had we taken our chances.
“But Rotherham will be big and tough. They have a simple game plan that is well executed and resemble the team I used to have some huge battles with when I was at Worcester ten years ago. We know we’re going to have to play our best to get anything.”
