SARugbymag.co.za chats to Grey High School 1st XV coach Allan Miles about the upcoming season.

What are the lessons that you have learned from last year?
Last season, we had four losses. Three of those losses were within a point’s margin of five points. Two of those three losses were games that we lost from a leading position. The area we needed to improve on is the execution of our kicking game and also to work on an increased focus towards the end of the game.

What has been your main focus preparing for this season?
Last season, we had some really talented players, but I don’t think they were the hardest working group we’ve had. So we want to make sure that our players who have a bit of talent don’t get into a comfort zone where they don’t want to push themselves further. We are working really hard in our pre-season to break that barrier. We are terming it purposeful practice, that with every practice, there is a purpose behind it, always putting our players out of their comfort zones.

Q&A with Paarl Boys’ High coach

How many of last year’s 1st XV are still in your squad?
We only have four players that were in and out of the 1st XV last year. We have a very new and young side.

What goals have you set for the season?
Our big thing is, from a results perspective, schoolboy rugby is quite cyclical. So we know that Grey from a 1st XV perspective has done well, so we want to maintain that trend. From a personal growth perspective, we are trying to create a team that has a strong team culture. We want to create a team-first culture where our players take representing the team more seriously.

What will be your toughest game this year?
What we found last year is that you can’t take any game lightly. You have to take every team seriously.

Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images