MORGAN HAILS ROVERS SPIRIT
Rovers Head Coach Justin Morgan said his sides win over Castleford Tigers epitomised the spirit and determination of the club as a whole.
On an emotional night at Craven Park in which Morgan and seven players said their farewells to the red and white army, it was an edge of your seat eighty minutes if not one with the quality Rovers have shown in recent weeks.
A brace of tries for Sam Latus plus scores for Michael Dobson, Jake Webster and Mick Vella paved the way for a narrow 26-24 win, with Morgan pointing to the guts and determination of his side for the second week in succession.
"A two-point ball game for the second week in a row and I'm not sure my heart can take it anymore," joked Morgan in the post match press conference.
"I don't think it was a fantastic game and we were a bit emotional at the start of the game with all the players that are leaving and they most probably settled into the game a little better than us.
"A try from a kick and then a ricochet interception so I thought they were probably lucky to be in the game in terms of points. They were playing well, don't get me wrong.
"We were a little bit lacklustre in the second half and too many errors. But let's talk about the positives. I've said before that this club- not just this team- this club has got soul and you can't manufacture that, you can't buy it and the players have really bought into that.
"I think tonight's game epitomised the spirit and determination of this current team, but also the club generally."
The result meant Rovers finished seventh in the Engage Super League XVI standings and must now wait for the results of Catalans Dragons and Leeds Rhinos tomorrow for as to which of those two sides they will face next week.
And whilst Morgan says there are improvements needed, his sides experiences of must-win rugby in recent weeks will stand them in good stead.
"We'll have to improve our execution for next week, but I think we've shown for the past ten weeks we've been in play-off mode.
"Our style has been play-off style as well, apart from tonight really when we were rolling the dice a bit too often and not completing or doing things a little bit more conservatively.
"But I'll put that down to the occasion. I think we'll be a lot more relaxed next week. We've achieved the first goal by reaching the play-offs and we don't want to go out with a whimper. We want to give a good account of ourselves for the coming weeks.
"I think in terms of the pressure, I think it will. I'm sure the team we come up against will be in that type of mode as well. The challenge is to work on the execution factors.
"We're not going to go into a game having had to win at all costs for the final third of the season so it's the execution issues that I'll be addressing during the week."
Morgan left the press room at Craven Park for the last time as the Robins boss by saying just what it had meant to him to coach the club for six fantastic years.
"I'm really pleased for the boys. They're a great bunch and I'm glad we got to send some of the players that won't be here next year away from Craven Park as winners.
"Somebody asked me after the game how I felt and I said relieved. It's been a big week with lots of media coverage, people talking about players leaving, dinners and luncheons and presentations.
"It was always going to be an emotional day for everybody.
"The fans as usual were magnificent weren't they? The noise that they made was fantastic tonight. They've given me some wonderful memories over the past six years and I'll tell stories about the memories the fans have given me for many years to come.
"We'll be doing our very best to give them more to cheer about in 2011.
"I've grown up here as a coach and my family have grown up here so it's a huge part of my life. It'll be difficult next year but I know this club will go onto big things and whoever is in charge here next year will have a good group of players and they'll be as privileged as I have been to hold the position of head coach."
Posted on 11, Sep, 2011
 [1600x1200].jpg "DeSigns")
