Mitch: We're everybody's cup final (From Dudley News)

Mitch: We're everybody's cup final

2:20pm Thursday 11th October 2012 in Stourbridge RFC

NEIL Mitchell says Stourbridge RFC must get used to being everyone’s “cup final” this season.

The unbeaten Saxons, who lead National Two North, survived an onslaught from Luctonians to triumph 43-7 in their toughest test of the campaign so far last Saturday.

Director of rugby Mitchell expects a similar contest at Caldy this weekend and says his side are now viewed as a major scalp.

He said: “Every game now is a cup final for the team who are playing us.

“They are going to try and get at us.

“The fact is, in six games so far, we have never trailed once. The longer that record goes on the more tempting it is to break it.

“Defence is going to be key for us.

“I think on Saturday, 75 per cent of the game was played in our own 22 and I’m expecting no different at Caldy.”

The Saxons scored six tries in deposing of Lucs, but four of those were long-range efforts which came from either interceptions or turnovers.

Mitchell added: “We had to withstand a considerable onslaught and the defence in the first-half had to maintain their resolve.

“But gradually it started to come for us and they made mistakes.

“When you have so much possession and don’t score, you get frustrated and mistakes start to creep in.

“We were able to take full advantage.”

Mitchell was further encouraged by the team’s strength in the depth and watched Stour’s second XV beat Coventry 21-15 on Monday night.

But while the Saxons excellent start has some already talking about the possibility of the perfect season, the director of rugby believes it is unlikely.

He said: “I’ve heard a few people say we can go unbeaten but I doubt that very much.

“We will succumb to injuries like most teams over the course of the season.

“The really encouraging thing is the strength we have in depth now. There is a real buzz about the place at the minute and after watching the game at Coventry I felt almost euphoric.”