From the Dugout with Matt Danville: Eyes Back on the League

After last weekend's National Cup quarter-final defeat to Ince Rose Bridge, Head Coach Matt Danville says the focus has already shifted to ensuring Skirlaugh finish the regular season strongly, starting with Saturday's trip to Milford.

While disappointed to see the club's memorable cup run come to an end, Danville believes the score line didn't fully reflect the contest.

"Immediately after the game there was disappointment because we genuinely believed we could win," he said. "Looking back, I don't think the 40-12 score line tells the full story, especially in the first half. At 8-6 we had some really good momentum and were held up over the line, but they responded well and went into half-time 14-6 ahead."

The second half proved a different challenge as Ince Rose Bridge raised the intensity.

"They stepped it up after the break and we struggled to live with their ruck speed. Once they started winning the middle consistently, we were defending on the back foot and against a side of their quality you're eventually going to get punished. There are no excuses from us—they were the better team on the day and deserved to go through."

Despite the disappointment, Danville believes the experience could prove invaluable with the business end of the league campaign fast approaching.

"There were definitely positives to take. We competed really well for long periods against a very good side, created opportunities, carried strongly and caused them problems when our defensive detail was right."

"The biggest positive is what we can learn from it. Playing against that level of intensity exposes the little areas you need to improve. If we want to achieve something in the play-offs, we have to take those lessons on board quickly."

With the cup now behind them, Skirlaugh's full attention returns to the league, where they remain firmly in the hunt at the top of the table.

"The cup has gone now and there's nothing we can do about that. What we can control is what happens next," Danville added.

"We're only one point off the top and we've put ourselves in a fantastic position through everything we've done this season. We can't allow one defeat in a different competition to affect what we've worked so hard for. Good sides respond to disappointment, and that's the challenge I've put to the players this week."

Saturday's opponents Milford have always been a difficult side to face on their own ground, and Danville is expecting another physical contest.

"Milford are a proud club and going there is never easy. They'll compete for everything and they'll see us coming as a big challenge."

"For us it comes back to what we learned last weekend. We need to control the ruck, win field position, complete our sets and stay disciplined. If we're constantly giving teams cheap possession, we're making life difficult for ourselves. We have to earn the right to play first, and hopefully our rugby will then take care of itself."

As the final away fixture of the regular season, the visit to Milford represents another important step towards the play-offs.

"We're at the stage where performances matter just as much as results because you want to be building towards your best rugby," Danville explained.

"We've still got plenty to play for. If we win our remaining games we're guaranteed second place, and we're still only a point behind Featherstone. But we're not looking beyond Milford. That's been our approach all season—deal with what's directly in front of us."

Reflecting on the campaign as a whole, Danville paid tribute to the commitment shown throughout the club.

"It's probably one of the things I'm proudest of. We've asked a lot of the lads this year with league games, the National Cup, injuries, holidays and players moving between the First Team and Academy, but the commitment has been outstanding."

"You only have to look at where both teams are. The First Team reached the National Cup quarter-finals and the Academy made their cup final. That doesn't happen without people fully committing to the club and to each other."

Selection for Saturday remains competitive, with only the usual knocks to assess.

"We've got a few bumps and bruises, as you'd expect at this stage of the season, but competition for places has probably been as strong as it's been all year. Players have come in and taken their opportunities, which gives us some difficult decisions as coaches—but they're the sort of decisions you want to have. Nobody owns a shirt. Performance and attitude will determine who wears it."

Training this week has centred on learning from last weekend rather than dwelling on it.

"The message has been simple—don't dwell on it, but don't waste it either. It hurt, of course it did, but if all we take from it is disappointment then we've learned nothing."

"We've looked at where Ince hurt us, particularly around the ruck and our defensive control, and now it's about putting those lessons into practice. One defeat doesn't suddenly change who we are or what we've achieved this season."

Looking ahead to the play-offs, Danville knows there are still areas to sharpen.

"Consistency across the full 80 minutes is the biggest one. When we're at our best, we're a very difficult side to play against. Our defence has been a huge part of our identity and we've got plenty of threats with the ball."

"Knockout rugby punishes poor periods. You can't switch off for ten or fifteen minutes because good teams will make you pay. It's about tightening the details—controlling the ruck, discipline, completing sets and staying connected defensively."

"We've come a long way, but we haven't achieved anything yet. We've given ourselves a really exciting opportunity over the final few weeks of the season, and now it's about making sure we take advantage of it."