So how do we think this winter season has gone?

It's been tough going, that's for sure. Player availability has been a nightmare with so many now working Saturdays, and a few long-term injuries wiped out a few lads. Yours truly has had to get his 80-minute boots back on and deputise at half-back a couple of times, and others have grafted to fill spots. I don't mind too much, we'll have a few back for summer and hopefully new recruits - it'll be pre-season before we know how the squad actually looks.

Really happy with the newer lads - they're coming on in leaps and bounds and by the end of pre-season they'll be fit, strong & raring to go. Inexperience is the main issue but hopefully the coach is good enough to work on that.

As ever, our main problem squad is forwards. Two more forwards will be retiring at the end of this winter, leaving us with only 2-3 props (2 of whom work most Saturdays) and only a couple of 2nd Rowers - that's from having about 14 forwards at the start of winter 2010/11. We've got several great runners out wide, we just need to work on being disciplined enough to get the ball out to them in the right areas and in the right way, at the right times.

On that subject, team structure has got better recently. We've had superb spells where we've dominated in defence and been clever and structured in attack, but too often we go back to a directionless forward battle. Our pre-match talk is often great, but remaining composed in the game is another matter - and as ever, communication on the pitch is key. This is all stuff we can work on.

I'll be (mostly) glad of a break - I think we've played straight through since winter 2008/9 and most of us have injuries, knocks and strains that haven't healed for a long time. My infamous biscuit knee (patella tendinitis) is actually getting much stronger and I'm hoping I can ditch the knee straps for summer 2012.

That said, I'll be looking forward to our touch sessions every week!

Anyone have any thoughts, or indeed, suggestions?

i personally feel that the defence has got better game on game, but as we have mentioned in a previous post a few of the forwards have strayed from their position on one side of the pitch to the other to take a drive. I agree with what buryrl said about the scrum half has to organise them but as we have noticed the past 2 season, it falls on deaf ears. there is only so many times you can yell at a forward but it takes a bit of thinking on their part too..

the newer lads have been a surprise to me i didnt expect them to progress so quickly, they are doing really well, with a bit more game time they can only grow and grow.

we still have the issue of the 3 players taking over the show in the last 5/10mtrs some times it comes off trying to crash over but again screaming for the ball falls on deaf ears there also. i know when we ship that ball out 9/10 times we score, so this is something to address also..

i think phil has done a really good job when he has been needed to go to half back (after previously slating him) he communicates with me well and adds that bit of pace.

we seem to train alot differently then when we play (players seem to think they play in different positions in t+p) and this perhaps adds to why forwards are becoming unstructured. we have centres and props thinking they are half backs, danger rat hooking, and the line continues to be flat as we are in matches,, couple of examplesall of the centres and wingers), against accrington i remember mmp partnering at half back and the ball got shipped to him and the second row, centre and winger were all flat or infront of him so he had little option but to kick the ball.. so its just simple things that need addressing its not hard, we need to work on more technical things, which wont get sorted by just doing laps or shuttle (i think that is good for one session to work on fitness but not both)

all in all its been a good effort and im really looking forward to working hard on these things in pre-season... BRING ON THE SUMMER

I have been reading these two posts with interest and notice a familiar area that both the postings refer too with both posts highlighting areas of improvement are needed:
communication,awareness,accepting and understanding your posistion (both posts single a flaw/reliance on your forward play).
These are the basics and fundamentals of sport. In a team sport like rugby the whole team has a job to do if they are to be successful.
There are positives within your posts as well as areas of improvement and I will look forward to seeing this development in your team play. Bronco7, there is a time when to play a crash ball close to the line and a time not too. The forwards wouldn't get the ball close to the line unless the 6,7 or 9 gives it them-there is your answer especially as you both recognise that your back line is strong yet not used in this final part of the pitch.
An age old saying in rugby is a forwards job is to do the hard work whilst a back merely finishes it off- rugby is a team sport and the back will get individual glory in scoring, but he only scores thanks to the team putting him in that position to score.
In respect of training bronco7 it is important that the 7 runs the game on the pitch that the coach has coached him to do in training. If you are not doing what you do in a game then why practice it in training. Again it is about communication between coach and the 7. Fitness is important but isn’t the answer to success, fitness is just a piece of the jigsaw, structure is just as important. Clubs i have watched and played for at amateur level usually have a fitness/conditioning session 1 night and then a skills/game planning session 1 night. Fitness is game specific, ie rugby requires explosive power over short distance not a steady speed over long- how often do you see a prop do 80 metres in a game? All these little things will factor into your training as will recognising how tough the game the previous week was. You don’t want to push your team too hard during a session as they will burn out in the game and more likely to pick up a strain.
Personally in attack keep it basic but play BOTH a flat line and a deep line- two options for attacking play and two things a defender has to think about. As a pointer on last tackle you dont have to all be behind the kicker and very rarely is a team- backline should be though. Don't forget the kicker should run straight forward once kicked to put players on side.
Good luck and i will look forward to watching come summer and will hope to see you bronco7 celebrating some team success.

I feel that when doing t&p sessions it could be good at having players doing different roles then they are used to which could help develope their own game. I dont mean by being a ball playing prop but by knowing what a halfback has to do so that they can run where your 7 wants you instead of the other way. Ie total football but in league