Will Scholes: five from seven, and we haven't clicked yet

Seven games into the season, 1st XV captain Will Scholes looks back on the opening block and ahead to the next four, starting with today’s visit of Henley Hawks.

Seven games in, how would you sum up the first block?

Positive, on the whole. Five wins from seven is a solid return in this league, and it leaves us fifth in the table going into the next block. There’s plenty to build on.

It wasn’t the smoothest start, though. What happened in those first couple of games?

We didn’t hit the ground running the way we wanted to. The first two games were a reminder of how tough the league is, and on top of that we had a bad run with injuries and unavailability, which made things harder. It took us a bit of time to find some rhythm and confidence. The win away at Barnes was crucial in getting us going.

What’s the mood in the squad heading into this next block?

It’s positive. We know where we stand and we know what we’re capable of, but there’s still a sense that we haven’t fully clicked yet or shown our true potential. Our defence has been really strong over the last few games, and now we’re keen to show what we can do with ball in hand, especially with our launch and phase play. Getting bodies back from injury will also help with that.

Speaking of which, who’s coming back?

Tom Bloomer returns this weekend, which is a boost. Sam Blade, Gareth Stevens and Theo Williamson are all close to being back as well. Having those players available again gives us more options and more competition for places, and that only makes us stronger.

Who’s in the next block?

Henley at home this weekend, then Colchester away, Old Albanians at home and Leicester Lions away. Four tough games, and none of them will be easy.

Henley first up. What are you expecting?

We need to be really careful with Henley. We’ve had some good results at their place, but they’ve caused us problems here at The Big Field. The last couple of times they’ve come here we’ve lost by a point and drawn. So there’s no chance we’re taking them lightly. We know we’ll need to put in a solid performance today to come out on top.

So what’s the target?

I think we need to be ambitious. There’s no such thing as an easy win in this league, and we’re not taking anything for granted. Every win has to be earned. But with the squad getting stronger, it’s not unrealistic to aim for four from four.

Anything to say to the supporters?

Thanks for all the support so far this season. We’re genuinely lucky with the support we get. Even away in Jersey, where they’ve got a good crowd of their own, it felt like we were the louder side. It makes a real difference to the players, and is what makes the club special.