Hull Aiming To End Season On A High

As a free Saturday has arrived with no game until next week’s fixture on Lymm’s all weather pitch it gives some time to reflect on this year’s campaign. 

Every team in our league has the ability to play good rugby even if not for 80 minutes. Huddersfield may sit bottom of the league, but they have had some close games against sides in the top half of this league.

They led Fylde deep into the second half recently and were unlucky not to close out a memorable victory. Billingham who sit one place above Huddersfield were a tough side to get the better of as Hull discovered a couple weeks ago and they are also in danger of being relegated.

Near neighbours Hull Ionians have had their troubles securing victories, but have had a number of results where they have lost by a single score which emphasises the small margins that lie between success and failure.

All the more credit then to Hull who have grown in stature as a force in National 2 North and whose victory against Wharfedale last week was significant as it was their first victory against a top-four side this season.

Coaches Mike Umaga and Tony Penn have worked hard to recruit players and then get the constituent parts of the side operating efficiently.

That has meant some positional changes such as Paulos Latu moving to number eight from second row and Reece Dean from off-half to full-back. Both players have adapted really well to their new roles making great contributions to recent victories.

Charlie Beech’s comments in his recent radio interview summarised Hull’s progress from last year’s disappointment to the growing confidence we see today.

Tough fixtures remain with a home game against Rotherham as challenging as they come, and it will be just one of a series of games that will test a young Hull side.

There is much to admire in the progress Hull have made, but every side in this league is striving to improve so no game is a given.

Hull’s great improvement in their lineout and good scrummaging means that they have secured a good flow of first phase ball over the past months.

That platform has enhanced the ability of Hull to score tries and add to that reliable goal kicking and it is is not difficult to see why this side has consolidated their league position.

There is still much to play for and a good end to Hull’s season would be a tribute to coaches and players alike, but they will not lose sight of the fact that every other side would like to end their season well.