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‘There is a brilliant buzz’: Rogerson on defence, clinical attack and current form

Published

10 months ago

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London Irish captain Matt Rogerson has relayed the “brilliant buzz” from within the Exiles’ camp at present, following on from a 25-10 victory over Bath Rugby.

Rogerson played a physical and crucial role in picking up four points for his team in his 73 minutes at the Recreation Ground on Saturday, Irish’s first win there since 2009.

Tries from half-back duo Paddy Jackson and Ben White, as well as Benhard Janse van Rensburg’s score, brought Irish ahead in the West Country for the headline win.

A determination to end Irish’s barren run away from home against Bath was a key energiser for Declan Kidney’s travelling party in Round 17 of the Gallagher Premiership, Rogerson explicated.

“We hadn’t won there in a long time, which was a big motivator for us going into the game,” he told.

“We wanted to come and get a result but we know how difficult a place it is to do that, so the me and the boys are very pleased.”

The Club skipper maintains that taking a lead into the break, despite it being just a two-point advantage at 12-10, played a prominent part in the psychology of both teams for the game’s remainder.

“We had to work very hard for that lead at half-time, Bath put an awful lot of pressure on us in our own 22 and we thought by half-time that we didn’t exit as well as we could.

“A couple of times we might have been able to put the ball out to the lads to relieve some pressure and allow them to bring it back to us, or we made some errors and they got the turnover from that.

“We did invite pressure onto ourselves, but equally we defended brilliantly to keep them out and score some points of our own.

“To go in at half-time with the lead would have taken the wind out of their sails a bit after they took the lead themselves, and it gave us confidence.”

With Bath players being sent to the sin bin on three occasions, those in Blue, Black and White were tasked with facing an onrushing Irish side looking to end their 14-year hoodoo at the Rec.

Rogerson explains the Exiles’ thought process in making sure their numerical advantage counted in the absence of two opposing players for Janse van Rensburg’s fourth try of the season on the hour.

“There was a lot of conversations going on between myself and the other leadership group; Rob Simmons at the lineout, Paddy [Jackson] moving the backline and we’re always talking about where the spaces are and where opportunities might open up.

“We look at areas where they might be a man short and we still played very tactically in terms of playing territory and not rushing things.

“Eventually avenues open up to exploit, and the boys worked really hard to drive us around the park to help us to a brilliant win.”

As a matchday regular this term, Rogerson went on to corroborate his coach Brad Davis’ recent evaluation of elevated standards throughout the squad this season.

“There’s been a brilliant buzz, and what I think is really amazing about our squad currently is that everyone is pushing each other.

“You can see that by how well we have done in the cup, lads aren’t playing in the Premiership week in, week out are playing brilliantly and putting their hands up for spaces in the Prem.

“It really lifts standards of all the boys playing in Prem, knowing we have to go out and win on the weekends to keep our place in the team.

“I think the competitive nature around the Club is really positive, the lads have been fantastic even if they have not been playing and have helped prep the boys well.

“They’re really buying into that, we’re building something really nice so we’ll keep chipping away and see where that takes us.”

Content & Images from – London Irish Rugby


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Premiership

Team News | Carter starts with Kata on-debut off the bench

Published

1 month ago

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November 3, 2023

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Leicester Tigers have named their team for Saturday’s trip south to take on Saracens at StoneX Stadium at 3:05pm, live on TNT Sports.

Tigers head coach, Dan McKellar has made three changes to his matchday selection. Tongan international Solomone Kata is named for a potential Tigers debut with Australian lock Sam Carter earning his first Premiership start.

Olly Cracknell starts at number eight after missing Tigers’ victory over bath in round three.

Leicester will welcome back their remaining Rugby World Cup players on Monday.

Leicester Tigers head coach, Dan McKellar said: “Saturday’s a great challenge for our group and we’ve embraced that.”

“Sam has been really good for us off the bench the last couple of weeks so earns a start and we’re excited to see what Sol (Kata) can bring with his ball-carry and his energy on the field.”

 

STARTING XV

15 Mike Brown [12]

14 Josh Bassett [5]

13 Guy Porter [66]

12 Dan Kelly [62]

11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [6]

10 Jamie Shillcock [7]

9 Tom Whiteley [10]

1 James Cronin [17]

2 Charlie Clare [83]

3 Joe Heyes [128]

4 Cameron Henderson [42]

5 Sam Carter [5]

6 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [90]

7 Tommy Reffell [101]

8 Olly Cracknell [28]

 

REPLACEMENTS

16 Nic Dolly [30]

17 Francois van Wyk [37]

18 Will Hurd [30]

19 Harry Wells [180]

20 Matt Rogerson [5]

21 Joe Powell [6]

22 Charlie Atkinson [22]

23 Solomone Kata*

*Denotes potential Leicester Tigers debut

Content & Images from – Leicester Tigers Rugby


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Club announce arrival of former Wallaby coach

Published

4 months ago

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August 16, 2023

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Leicester Tigers Head Coach Dan McKellar has appointed Petrus du Plessis to his senior coaching team as Interim Scrum Coach.

The South African will remain in the role until the arrival of new Scrum Coach Dan Palmer, when his commitments with the Wallabies are complete following the Australian national side’s Rugby World Cup campaign.

Born in South Africa, du Plessis represented St Helens, Orrell and Sedgley Park between 2001-2009 before joining Nottingham Rugby ahead of the 2009/10 Championship season.

He joined Saracens a year later and, during the next sevens seasons, featured in three league and two European Champions Cup winning campaigns.

The front-rower moved to London Irish in 2017 and then Glasgow Warriors in 2018, spending two seasons in Scotland before retiring in 2020 – including a final season as player/coach.

In September 2020, du Plessis was announced as Australia’s Scrum Coach where he worked alongside McKellar for almost three years.

Speaking about the interim appointment, Leicester Tigers Head Coach Dan McKellar said: “Our scrum is an integral part of what we do and, with Dan [Palmer] arriving after the World Cup, we felt it was important to have that specific focus on it during this period.

“To have been able to appoint someone with the experience of Petrus for that was an added bonus and too good an opportunity not to take up for the club and our players.

“I have worked with Petrus over the past few years in Australia and know the energy and enthusiasm he brings, as well as the effort he puts into his work. I am glad we’re able to have that here at Leicester Tigers in the interim.”

The appointment of Petrus du Plessis to the interim role is effective immediately.

Content & Images from – Leicester Tigers Rugby


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Bath confirm 2023/24 squad

Published

4 months ago

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July 27, 2023

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The official Bath Rugby squad for the 2023/24 season has been announced.

Entering into his second year at the helm of Bath Rugby, Johann van Graan welcomed Ollie Lawrence, Ted Hill, Alfie Barbeary and Fergus Lee-Warner over the course of 2022/23, who remain with squad as we head into 2023/24.

With Finn Russell and Thomas du Toit still yet to link up with the squad after the Rugby World Cup, the Head of Rugby’s squad is looking full of power and prowess. 

Several big names committed their futures to the Blue, Black and White earlier this year, seeing England internationals Tom Dunn, Will Stuart, Sam Underhill, Ben Spencer and Joe Cokanasiga all re-signing. 

Scotland international Cameron Redpath also pledged his future to the club, as did Irish international second row Quinn Roux. 

Arriving at the club this summer is recently announced signing, Mikey Summerfield, who joined from London Irish. The young prop has been lauded with talent and high prospects, offering another option in the front row. 

Bath Rugby also named Billy Sela, Jack Bennett, Ieuan Davies, Ioan Emanuel, Rory Cameron, James Short, George Timmins and Raff Weston as their Academy intake for 2023/24, with many of them already putting their stamp on the age-grade international stage. 

The Bath Rugby squad are now preparing for the season ahead, with the opening fixtures seeing the commencement of a newly formatted Premiership Rugby Cup.

The coaching set-up has also been refreshed for 2023/23. Joining van Graan on his staffing team are Assistant Coaches Lee Blackett and Richard Blaze, who arrived at the club from Wasps and Leicester Tigers ahead of pre-season.

Stevie Scott and Andy Robinson have also joined van Graan to assist with scrummaging and the coaching of the Academy, respectively.

JP Ferreira and Jon Callard remain with the squad into their second year alongside van Graan. 

bath rugby squad 2023/24

PROP: Arthur Cordwell, Thomas du Toit, Ioan Emanuel, Archie Griffin, Johannes Jonker, Scott Kirk, Beno Obano, Juan Schoeman, Billy Sela, Archie Stanley, Will Stuart, Mikey Summerfield, Kieran Verden

HOOKER: Niall Annett, Tom Dunn, Max Pearce, Jasper Spandler, John Stewart

SECOND ROW: Jack Bennett, Rory Cameron, Harvey Cuckson, Josh Dingley, Eddie Erskine, Charlie Ewels, Will Jeanes, Fergus Lee-Warner, Daniel Marais, Josh McNally, Ewan Richards, Quinn Roux

BACK ROW: Abdul-Khalik Akenzua Al Kareem, Alfie Barbeary, Josh Bayliss, Chris Cloete, Jaco Coetzee, Thompson Cowan, MacKenzie Graham, Arthur Green, Ted Hill, Nahum Merigan, Miles Reid, Ethan Staddon, George Timmins, JJ Tonks, Sam Underhill

SCRUM-HALF: Tom Carr-Smith, Ieuan Davies, Murdoch Lock, Louis Schreuder, Ben Spencer

FLY-HALF: Orlando Bailey, Piers Francis, Sam Harris, Finn Russell, Raff Weston, George Worboys

CENTRE: Will Butt, Louie Hennessey, Ollie Lawrence, Max Ojomoh, Will Parry, Cameron Redpath, James Short, Max Wright

BACK THREE: Joe Cokanasiga, Tom de Glanville, Ciaran Donoghue, Matt Gallagher, Gabe Goss, Luke Graham, Byron Lloyd-Gilmour, Ruaridh McConnochie, Will Muir

bath rugby coaching team

HEAD OF RUGBY: Johann van Graan

ASSISTANT COACHES: Lee Blackett, Richard Blaze, Jon Callard, JP Ferreira, Andy Robinson, Stevie Scott

 

Content & Images from – Bath Rugby


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