ALEX Rae admitted there was no ‘magic formula’ behind Coventry Rugby’s win at Cambridge after the visitors battled to a 33-19 success.
On the back of a shock home defeat against Hartpury, Cov responded with a dominant first-half display against basement club Cambridge at Ellgia Fields.
Tries from Ryan Hutler, Paddy Ryan, James Martin, Eliot Salt and Will Wand put Coventry in command before Cambridge rallied late on with three tries of their own.
Rae said: “I really enjoyed how we managed the game in the first half.
“We talked about coming out strongly from the first whistle as we knew Cambridge would come for us on the back of our recent defeats to Hartpury and Ealing.
“Fair play to Cambridge with how they then went after us in the second half. They used the wind well, got the ref onside and with the crowd behind them they did very well and made it a bit nervy towards the end.
“There’s no magic formula or big secret, it’s about working hard, sweat and tears and that was what our win was built on. It was a gritty old game from which I’m delighted to emerge with five points.”
And Rae heaped praise on the club’s young stars, who made a significant contribution to Coventry’s victory on the road, as well as captain Jordon Poole.
Rae added: “Tobi Wilson was outstanding at full back under the high ball.
“Our scrum did well – we don’t always get it right but Eliot Salt and Elliot Chilvers are young props who are learning on the job and we held our own.
“Obi Nkwocha had a great game in the second row and alongside the experienced James Tyas in the lineout. Obi is only 21-years-old and has all the ingredients to go on and be a really good player.
“In these last two weeks, since the Ealing and Hartpury losses, Pooley’s been incredible as a leader. With him it’s not so much about talking but how he trains and how he conducts himself.
“He’s carried that on during the game – he’s a really big part of what we’re about as a time and he epitomizes much of what we stand for.”
