BUCS Focus: M1 Rugby Union

Team Northumbria Head of Rugby Union Darren Fearn was left feeling frustrated after his side lost to a battling Leeds Beckett unit in torrential rain at Kingston Park.

Prior to the game, TN had several key players pull out injured. But a strong pack and some excellent set piece play from Beckett laid the foundations for their win and these foundations meant that TN were chasing the game from the off, eventually losing 27-17.

After the game Fearn was clearly deflated by his side’s poor performance in what was a huge game at the top of the table.

“I’m really frustrated and disappointed,” he said.

“We just looked flat and we looked like we were feeling really sorry for ourselves.

“Our set piece wasn’t good enough.

“We missed Ed Bloodworth, Matt Sollway and Michael Walton who are three key players and they were big losses for us.

“I think the fact Leeds had a bigger pack and it was a wet night benefitted them but at the same time that’s not an excuse for why we lost. We lost because we didn’t manage the game properly. So we’ve got to face the music.

“We were very lethargic.

“We kept making taking right options but our kick chase was really poor and we weren’t looking after the ball.

“I thought Ed Newman did ok for his first ever appearance. I thought Seb Reece did some good stuff in the middle.

“But there were players who have been fantastic this season who were really poor and they know that.

“So I think that sums us up pretty well.”

The loss to Leeds Beckett was only TN’s second defeat of the season and Fearn admitted he would have taken two losses after eight games at the start of the competition.

TN travel to fourth place Cardiff Met on Wednesday and Fearn was keen to look forward as his side look to put the loss behind them.

“We need to get the boys back fit who are out,” he added.

“We’ve lost two in eight. Would I have taken that at the start of the season? Absolutely. But the two losses are pretty gutting because of the manner of the losses.

“No rugby player goes through his career and has a brilliant game every time and it’s about learning from that.

“We’ve got to get back on the horse now, look at the game plan, go down to Cardiff and get back to winning way in what will be a tough fixture.”