Tamworth Rugby Union Sporting Club coach Peter Burke is excited to see what his side produce when they tackle Robb College in Tamworth on Saturday.
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The Magpies are yet to post a win but Burke believes it is only a matter of time.
“They’ve been very close to putting it together in the last couple of games,” he said.
“I think they’re ready now to make a dint on the New England competition.”
Tamworth endured a bit of a baptism of fire against defending premiers St Alberts, but it gave them a valuable insight into how to play the student sides.
“I think the biggest thing with playing the students is you must cut your mistake rate. It doesn’t matter where you make a mistake on the paddock against these young fast teams they will make you pay,” Burke said.
“They’ve got speed and no fear. They’ll spread the ball on you in the moment.”
He said the mistake rate was better against Armidale, although “still not where it needed to be”.
But they are a new side and new sides, he acknowledged, take a bit of time to come together.
He spoke about there being a couple of battles they’ve got to fight.
“One is the physical side of it. With the new players we have, the players that are coming back and the players with experience in the team, we’ve got a really good mix,” he said, adding that they have got a couple of fresh young wingers that they all agree “we need to use a lot more”.
The other battle – and possibly hardest - is the mental one.
“They’ve had a couple of years where losing has become the norm,” Burke said.
“We’re having to find that mental toughness. That includes closing out tight games like last weekend.”
They weren’t quite able to get the points against the Blues but Burke believes mentally they are in a good place.
Cooper Thompson returns on Saturday at fullback, while Isaac Roebuck shifts into outside centre and Harry Weir starts at tight head.
In the other game the Blues take on Barbarians.
Blues coach Luke Stephen is expecting a physical encounter and said his side need stay switched on for the whole game.
“We know that the games between the clubs are always very passionate and physical encounters,” Stephen told The Armidale Express.
“For our club it is about ensuring that we meet that physicality in a composed way for the full 80 minutes.”