ADAM Westall believes snatching third place on the final day of the season will be just reward for an impressive campaign for Swindon Rugby Club.
In their first season of South West 1 East rugby the club has gone from strength to strength, spending much of the campaign in the top four before a difficult run of results saw them slip as low as sixth.
But a 101-7 victory over Olney last time out has moved them up to fifth, and a win at Buckingham tomorrow could see them claim third place.
Westall is convinced that is no more than they deserve from a good season, and insisted it could even have ended up better.
“We are all very pleased with how it has gone this year, and the club has definitely made a lot of progress which we are all very proud of,” he said.
“But if we could have picked up three or four more wins in the second half of the season I think we could have won the league.
“We had players unavailable at key times meaning we were not able to put our best side out, but if we had I think we would have been able to pick up those wins.
“But we have to be pleased because we have been very competitive in a league we have not played in before, and getting third place would be what we deserve.
“If we didn’t, I think it would leave a bit of a sour taste in the mouth.”
Westall has enjoyed a good season on and off the pitch, with his superb form for Swindon a major reason for their success, while he also got married earlier this year.
But the fly-half is just pleased to have enjoyed an injury free campaign after a broken shoulder curtailed last season early.
“Touch wood I have made it this far without any major injury, and that is always pleasing, especially after last year,” he said.
“I love being at the club and I can’t wait for next season to come around as this one seems to have come to an end really quickly.
“I think we can make a real impact next year, because we will have five or six real key players back, while some of the younger guys who have stepped up this year have turned out to be some of our key players.”
Despite tomorrow’s opponents Buckingham already being relegated, the fly-half is expecting a tough fight to take all five points.
“I think we would rather play a team who like to tuck it up and run it up the middle, because we know we have the beating of them,” he said.
“Buckingham like to run the ball and so do we, and we had a very tight high scoring game earlier in the season and I think it will be very much the same again to be honest.
“We will have to play well, but I know we can do it.”
- SUPERMARINE Ladies trekked to the capital to take on London Welsh and slipped to a 12-7 defeat in their final league game of the season.
Supermarine took an early lead when full-back Nat Williams touched down what proved to be the visitors’ only try of the game.
Williams then went on to score the conversion.
But the hosts turned things around to with with two tries of their own.
Supemarine captain Claire Legg said: “I couldn’t have asked any more from anyone.”
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