NORTH WALES CRUSADERS coach Carl Forster didn’t mince his words in an inspiring half-time team talk as his side preserved their 100 percent start to the season with an away win at leaders Midlands Hurricanes.
Crusaders trailed by eight points going into the break on Saturday, and it could have been more but for a late interception try.
They turned things around in the second half, ‘winning’ it 27-6 to come out 31-18 victors.
Forster told club media: “I thought we really struggled in the first half. I wasn’t happy at all come half-time. We spoke about it, addressed it and I thought we came out flying in the second half. We simplified everything, went straight through the middle of them. We’re a really good team when we got on the front foot and we dominated from minute 40 to 80.
“The lads might have thought (my team talk) was a bit harsh. I didn’t mince my words. I wasn’t happy with what we were doing. But for how bad we were, we were only eight points down and that was my last message to them, that we were still in the game. They came out with the right attitude, got themselves together and literally blew them away.
Unfortunately, Crusaders didn’t come through the game unscathed, with forward Liam Cooper taken to hospital with a shoulder injury.
“The win came at a cost for him,” added Forster. “His AC (joint) came straight out. We hope he’s okay. He messaged me and was more bothered about our win than his injury. It’s tough on him, we’ll look after him over the next couple of weeks and see how he is.
Attention now turns to a historic occasion when Crusaders welcome Whitehaven to Stadiwm CSM in Colwyn Bay on Saturday.
They will take part in a first-ever cross-code double-header with rugby union counterparts RGC.
RGC, who play in the Super Rygbi Cymru competition, will face Carmarthen Quins in a play-off fixture at 2.30pm, followed by North Wales’ game against Whitehaven at 6pm, with tickets entitling fans to watch both matches.
Forster added: “Whitehaven are well coached. We know (former North Wales team chief) Anthony Murray really well. The win at Midlands counts for nothing if we don’t turn up next time.”
