With the cold winds and rain of January now in the past, East London Rugby Club are looking to leave behind a tough start to the 2020 season as they look to work their way back up the London 3 Essex table.
Rising East caught up with East London director of Rugby Eddie Gooby to chat about why East London have struggled so far in the new year and how his team can get back on track as they look to chase down a top-three position in the league.
So, Eddie, 2020 didn’t quite get off to the start you or the team were hoping for, it looked like a pretty tough line-up of fixtures to get started.
“Unfortunately, this run of games has come at the wrong time for us we have had too many key players away for long periods of time and I have had to rebuild the team nearly every week.”
That sounds like a challenge and quite disappointing considering how 2019 saw the club up in the top three following that dramatic win over the Kings Cross Steelers. The chase for promotion now seems to be that bit tougher.
“If we had played the weaker teams during this period, I think we would have gone on and got promoted.”
Despite this bad run of form, you mentioned you were happy with the way the squad has reacted to adversity. It looks as though several second and even third team players have stepped up over the festive period.
“I have been really pleased with the squad and in particular the new players. Their presence has kept the squad very competitive and it’s been the small margins that have been on the scoreboard and we can say we have pushed the top teams to the limits whilst being under strength ourselves.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the season and February in particular, where can East London improve and what would you hope to achieve this month?
“We have had to reset our targets for the season and it’s important that we keep chasing the top teams and push for that third place in the league. In this league you never know what’s going to happen and having beaten the third-place team Upminster 46-15 has given the squad a massive boost. We need to go through February and March unbeaten and that’s the challenge I have set out to the players.”
That is a big goal heading into the new month but certainly something East London is capable off, with this challenge set to the players who should we be keeping an eye on?
“Two players will be key until the end of the season scrum half Will Brown who has been outstanding and Fly half Nick Botha who has joined us late in the season and has settled in really well. They make the team tick and allow others around them to express themselves and our finishers enjoy the freedom in open play these two players give us.”
With Will and Nick pulling the strings at halfback they will need a forward pack giving them front foot ball and a backline to expose the space. How is the squad holding up health wise? Any major injury concerns?
“With players being away and many injuries to key players notably Dan Bracken, Luke Staples, Ben Stern, Simon Edscer, George Daniels, James Eley to name a few. The squad has grown and players have come through the ranks which in the long term means the club is in a really strong position with plenty of competition for first second team places.
“The club is in a really positive place at the moment with over 80 players on our books and three teams going out on a weekly basis. I expect all three teams to finish in the top four of their leagues. Only time will tell but that’s the challenge I have set out to all involved.”
