Cambuslang Rugby Club coach says 'open and frank' discussions have been key to success

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Cambuslang Rugby Club coach Gavin Blackburn says the key to success has been open and frank discussions with his players.The Lanarkshire club sit top of West League 2, six points clear of second-placed Bishopton, who have two games in hand.Blackburn says expectation levels are high on the Coats Park club, but they don’t feel pressure other than what they place on themselves.But though Cambus bounced back from a 39-15 defeat at Carrick on December 9 with an 18-11 win at home to Strathendrick, the number of defeats rankle Blackburn.However, not having a game over the festive period has been good for Blackburn and the club, as they prepare to return to action at Paisley on Saturday.He said: “I think the boys needed a break, mentally, as much as anything.

It has been well-earned.“It’s hard going. We’re top of the table, we want to stay there, and there’s a certain amount of expectation that comes with that.“I wouldn’t say pressure – pressure is for tyres.“I would say there’s expectation – not only from people that are coming to watch our games, or the club, but within our own group.“That can be tiring, so it will be good to get a break.”It has been a good first half of the season, though, and Blackburn wants to continue that.He said: “I’m bitterly disappointed to have lost three games, to be honest, but given that we have a relatively small squad, we’ve had key guy out injured and missing certain games, I think we’ve done really well.“I think the biggest thing for me that has come out of all of it is the mentality, which has been spot on, and I don’t think you can fault the effort, so that, for me, is the real positive.“My hope for the rest of the season is to carry on performing the way we are, really.“Setting the same