'Take you focus off the next game and I'll come down on you hard, buddy', is Sheffield RUFC boss message to promotion-chasers
Unbeaten at the top of National Two North, there is talk among the players of Sheffield RUFC of an open-top bus parade down the popular Ecclesall Road.
Their director of rugby Anthony Posa is keen to nip that far-sightedness in the bud.
“It’s silly talk because we’ve still got a long way to go,” said Posa, whose team have won 15 straight and can open up a nine-point lead at the top of the regionalised fourth tier today by beating bottom club Scunthorpe in a rearranged fixture at Abbeydale.
“You could naively look at it like it’s top of the league versus bottom of the league and an easy win.
“But I just say to the boys come on, we’ve been bottom of a league before, we know what it’s like when you’re fighting for your life.
“I said to them this week: ‘If you’re not focused on Scunthorpe, I’m coming down on you hard, buddy’.
“Give Scunthorpe the respect they deserve. Then at 5pm on Saturday we can move on.”
The affable Kiwi likes a laugh and a joke as much as the next man, but knows when it’s time to concentrate on business. Right now he has a battle on his hands balancing the present with the future. The present is the challenge that lay ahead of them this season, something that got even more appealing this week.
“I only found out that in all their hundred-odd years, Sheffield RUFC have never won a league title,” says Posa.
“Every time they’ve been promoted it’s been second or through a play-off.
“So on top of us currently being the highest up the pyramid we’ve ever been, and the fact we’re unbeaten which brings pressure each week, is the fact we’ve never won a league.
“The target for the boys is to keep making yourself personally better, keep working hard, and keep controlling what you can control week after week. To their credit, they’ve taken on all challenges so far.
“It’s my job, the rest of the coaches and the board’s job to look ahead.”
That they have already begun to do, by looking at what they might need playing-wise and resource-wise if their fine season ends where they hope it does in promotion to National One.
“I can’t be just about the here and now,” says Posa.
“If we’re going to go to National One, which is a huge jump, I’ve got to start planning now.
“If I start planning for National One now but then we somehow fall short, then we’re going to be in a better place anyway.”