Scott Morgan delighted with Coventry RFC's self control...

...control after Loughborough Students victory.

THE most telling statistic from Coventry’s 37-12 win over Loughborough Students last Saturday?

Not a 100 per cent return from their own scrums, only 50 seconds of in-play time spent in their own 22, or no turnovers conceded at the breakdown.

As good as those figures look, they don’t match the fact that Cov went through the entire 80 minutes conceding just one penalty, for a high tackle.

Pretty much unheard of at any level – and for the team with the worst disciplinary record in National League One, a remarkable transformation and a gratifying response to the hard line taken by Scott Morgan who, as one of the first steps taken since his appointment last month as head of rugby, has introduced a code of conduct which has consequences for any transgression.

“The players know that their P45s are coming if there is any more of what we have seen before Christmas,” joked the Wales international second row.

“But seriously, it’s a massive response to what I have said. What we have never had in this club are consequences or accountability for actions, but moving on, that is what there will be.

“We can’t be here just going through the motions any more.

“These guys have responded and I’m really proud of the way they have done that.

“But, equally, we’ve had 13 or so games before which we’re probably not proud of, so it’s a step in the right direction and the next things is to back it up this week with a similar performance when we go to Hartpury College and will probably be put under more pressure than we were against Loughborough.

“There’s lots of ways that as a group we under-performed up to Christmas, but we can’t shy away from the fact that our discipline has been absolutely killed us – yellow cards, penalties, you just can’t do it.”

Morgan is also adamant that the players need to respond better to referees and their assistants.

“It goes back further, to the relationships we have with the referees, speaking to them, how you manage it and everything that goes with that.

“There are three officials out there all trying to do their best, and you can slag them off or you can stand there and ask them what we need to do better. We have to start building these relationships and toe the line – they’re not anti-Coventry, they are just refereeing what they see and if we’re not doing what they want, they have got every tight to blow us up.

“Our boys have got to respond and do their part, and if there are issues arising then I will deal with them – the players don’t need to.”

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