JERSEY REDS’ director of rugby Harvey Biljon was full of praise for his squad after witnessing the side scoring their biggest ever win in the Championship.
The 10-try victory, with five a-piece in either half, was the ideal way for the Jersey side to round out their best campaign in rugby union’s second tier.
Biljon also believes it shows how their form is building looking ahead to the Championship Cup, which starts in three weeks’ time.
Inside centre Jordan Holgate opened up the scoring at the Butts Park Arena in only the second minute and, despite Coventry taking a brief lead in the first 20 minutes, two tries each by hooker Eoghan Clarke and wing Harry Simmons gave the islanders a 33-19 lead at half-time.
Simmons’ third as well as tries by centre Dan Barnes, fly-half Sam Leeming, hooker TJ Harris and scrum-half James Mitchell completed the 66-38 win.
It is the side’s biggest win in their ten-year history of being in the league, and in perfect symmetry comes ten years after the Reds sealed promotion from National One at the same venue against the same opposition.
Speaking afterwards, Biljon said: ‘I’m chuffed with the accuracy and skill we showed today. To come to Coventry on a day like today, with the weather as good as it is and to really play on the front foot suits us and I think you saw that. And the players got the rewards they deserved for the effort and the pressure they showed.
‘It rounds off not only our greatest season, but we have secured the most league points and I’m proud of the boys, as they’ve exceeded our expectations this season while showing a huge amount of resilience and hopefully we can take this momentum into the cup.
‘With the number of injuries we have had and the way the coaches have had to manage around that over the league season while looking to drive the players.’
Biljon was quick to highlight it is not the end of their season, adding: ‘It has been a challenging but rewarding and successful campaign, but it’s not the end of our season, we have a cup competition to go into now and target.’
Speaking of the return of a number of key players from injury in recent week’s, including TJ Harris, who scored after coming off the bench, Biljon said: ‘It makes a huge difference having the likes of TJ Harris, or Harry Simmons, back fit.
‘It gives us more competition for places and you can increase the pressure, level and intensity at training, which helps come match day. Hopefully that tells in itself.’
Breaking down Saturday’s win, he added: ‘We stuck to task and never got too loose. Rugby is a simple game when played correctly and that’s what we did.
‘We secured an early try and our dominance and speed at the breakdown was key.
‘The tries we conceded were also through our own errors letting them in. We spoke at half-time about tightening that up and that’s what we did.
‘The balance between the backs and the forwards really worked and gave us so many more opportunities which we took.
‘I’m pleased for Harry Simmons to get a hat-trick, it’s good to see him back in form and the link-up play we saw between Harry, Scott Van Breda and Sam Leeming especially was really pleasing.’
While believing Jersey Reds will be one of the favourites for the Championship Cup, which returns after being cancelled two seasons ago due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Biljon very much has his feet on the ground.
He said: ‘We won’t get carried away.
‘We’ve got a week off and then a friendly with Ayrshire Bulls before playing London Scottish. We will be staying focused and just look to keep building our momentum.’
