Bournville Forwards Coach CJ Osazuwa believes that there is more to come from his team as they prepare for the second half of the Regional One Midlands season.
A 21-12 at Newport last Saturday meant that Bourns ended the first half of the season top of the league with a four points cushion having won nine and lost just two matches.
Both their defeats – against Bridgnorth and Bromsgrove – came away from Avery Fields in the early weeks of the season, since when Bourns have won six on the bounce.
They start the second half of their league programme against Bridgnorth at Avery Fields this Saturday looking to avenge their defeat in Shropshire in September and also to extend their unbeaten home record to seven matches.
“I think we have always wanted to play to our standards. We have done lots of good things, we really have, but I still think we are playing below where we can play,” said Osazuwa
“So, if I was giving us a mark for the season so far I’d give us an A-minus.
“We are top of the league, we have won loads of points but our discipline has let us down a couple of times.
“But that’s our job as coaches, to try and make us better. It’s not how good you are now it’s how good you want to be. We are in a really good place but I think that there is a lot more to come.”
Having won just once away from home in each of the last two seasons, Bourns have managed to lose their tag as unhappy travellers and have won their last three matches on the road.
With six away matches to come, the second half of the season is likely to be challenging but Bourns proved by beating Newport and Lutterworth that they can adapt their preferred free-flowing style of play to wet and muddy conditions.
“We are trying to play an expansive style of rugby but not every day suits that,” Osazuwa said.
“We go Plan A where we are really direct and really aggressive and then when, we have earned the right, we still can play rugby in difficult conditions which is the sign of a really good team.”
