Competition for places paying off for 'Stoke (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Competition for places paying off for 'Stoke

8:00am Friday 20th January 2012 in Rugby By John Boyman

BASINGSTOKE RFC head coach James Croker insists that complacency should not be an issue for his players as they prepare to travel to lowly Thanet.

’Stoke made it three wins in a row by beating Hampshire rivals Portsmouth at Down Grange on Saturday, while Thanet had lost five games in a row before scraping an 11-10 victory over winless Sutton and Epsom last week.

Basingstoke emerged comfortable 59-25 victors when the sides met earlier in the season and will be heavy favourites to collect their third straight bonus point victory in Kent on Saturday.

It is the sort of game that could turn in to a banana skin if ’Stoke were to take their opponents lightly – but Croker says that the competition for places in the side makes a slip-up less likely.

“We have got competition for places in the team, which means that the league is not at the forefront of the players’ minds,” he said. “They know they have to play well to retain their place in the side, which means there is no complacency.

“If a player has a bad game, they know they may well be out of the side the next week, while the player who comes in knows that they have someone breathing down their necks. It is those in-house battles that keep people focused.

“Thanet are a better team at home than they are on the road but if we get our A game going we should get the result we want. I remember that they have got a massive pack, so if we keep our penalty count down, stop them getting the ball and play at the tempo we want, it should go our way.”

Basingstoke go into the game fourth in the table and right in the hunt for second place, which would earn them a promotion play-off, while leaders Chichester are also within touching distance.

Town travel to Sussex to play the table toppers in two weeks – but before then they have two games against sides in the bottom half of the table, while the other top teams face each other.

Croker added: “All we can concentrate on is getting five points week on week. That is why January is important because it gives us the chance to make sure we are in control of our own destiny, which is all you can ask for.”

Young winger Chris May-Miller, who scored a hat-trick on his senior debut two weeks ago, is back in the frame after representing Hampshire under-18s last week – but centre Callum Staff will miss out as he is playing for the county’s under-20 team.

Full-back Ceri Cummings and centre Matt Guilfoyle are close to full fitness and could return. However, Croker is determined not to rush the pair back, while another centre, David Byett, played his first game of the season for the club’s second string last week.