Pogo Coach: No Blame on Lineup After 26-31 Defeat to Montpellier
Pogo coach Mark Jones insisted he has no regrets regarding his team selection after his side lost 26-31 to French side Montpellier on Saturday evening in the Challenge Cup match at Pierpont.
The defeat forces Pogo to play their upcoming Round of 16 match away from home, whereas a victory would have guaranteed them a home fixture.
Jones opted to make 13 changes from the team that lost to Zebra, excluding Wales internationals Dulac, Davids, Riatti, Williams, Gillis, and Harry Davies, in addition to Australian defender Ryan Smith and full-back Tom Botha, from the squad.
Jones said: “I think there are people who will stick to the lineup and ask why I didn’t select the supposedly experienced players for this match.”
“The truth is that we played with those players during the Christmas break in a difficult period, with short turnarounds, and they were on the verge of exhaustion or illness.”
“We have another short turnaround coming up, and I think we’ve played seven games in the last eight weeks, so rest and recovery are necessary due to the rigor of these matches.”
“If the same players play continuously, they will get injured before the end of the season.”
“It was important to refresh the squad, not just to get an energetic performance, but also to build our squad depth.”
“We need to get to know some of these young players and what they can and cannot do; part of my job is to increase the depth of the team.”
“I tried to strike a balance in trying to win the game—we were close to winning—and I don’t feel any regret regarding the lineup.”
“It was done with good, practical, and analytical thought behind it, and I am just frustrated that we didn’t manage to get the result.”
Pogo would have secured a home tie after collecting 10 points from their matches in December, but they are now forced to travel abroad.
United News Network – UNN Arabic
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