RUGBY UNION: Henley promotion bid still on (From The Oxford Times)

RUGBY UNION: Henley promotion bid still on

10:00am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Rugby By Ed Mezzetti

HENLEY Hawks head coach Steve Barnes insists his side remain right in the National 2 South promotion race.

Hawks slipped to fifth place and six points off a play-off spot following Saturday’s disappointing home defeat to Shelford.

But Barnes believes there are plenty more developments to come in the promotion race.

“There is a lot of rugby to be played,” he said.

“We have nine games left and there will be lots of twists and turns.

“We have got a ten-pointer against Worthing in two weeks’ time.

“If we beat them, we will be in a good position.

“We have also still got Hartpury College and Richmond to come, so we are right in the mix still.

“The guys are badly disappointed after Saturday, but we’ll move on from there.”

After three comparatively mediocre seasons since being relegated to this level – the fourth tier of English rugby – Henley are now making real progress.

Barnes pointed to their 32-22 victory at home to Redruth as a case in point.

“We played some great rugby and really showed what we can do,” wrote Barnes in Henley’s programme.

“I would go as far as to say that the first 40 minutes against Redruth was probably the best rugby that I have witnessed since being on the coaching staff.

“The Hawks outthought, outpaced and outmanoeuvred the opposition with accuracy and finished clinically.”

Henley at least found their form by the end of Saturday’s match, but Barnes knows they must be more consistent if they are to earn a top-two spot.

“It was disappointing that we didn’t play like that for the full 80 minutes against Shelford,” he said.

“It is difficult when you are playing catch-up rugby and you try to force things.

“We wasted two overlaps, which maybe we would normally have taken.”

• HENLEY Hawks will host Oxford Harlequins in their Oxfordshire Cup semi-final on Sunday, February 12.

Hawks visit National 2 South promotion rivals Worthing the previous day, so are unlikley to field a full-strength side against Quins.

Chinnor and Oxford Brookes University have yet to confirm the date of their semi-final, which will be played at Kingsey Road.