Jake Murphy breaks through Henley’s defence on Saturday (picture by Phil Mingo/Pinnacle)
PLYMOUTH Albion captain Jake Murphy described Saturday’s performance against Henley Hawks at Dry Leas as ‘fantastic’.
Albion won the match 36-3 to claim their biggest league win for six years and make it three victories in a row.
Murphy was thrilled with the team’s attacking prowess in the first half at Dry Leas, where they scored five tries, and then with the way they defended second period to keep their try-line intact for the first time this season.
“It was fantastic,” said a delighted Murphy, who had an influential game alongside fellow centre Marc Koteczky.
“I think that first half was up there with some of the best stuff we have played this year, with the intensity and desire.
“I’d asked the boys to keep showing character. I didn’t want us to rest on our laurels after two wins on the bounce. That did not give us a right to win a third.
“But that first half was just fantastic.
“Second half, probably spectator-wise was not the greatest bit of rugby to watch, but we showed great character and desire in defence not to let them in.
“I think they spent 80 per cent of the second half in our 22 but we kept working hard and kept them out, which was fantastic.”
Albion’s backs looked incredibly sharp at Dry Leas, scoring all the tries, but Murphy was keen to credit the club’s forwards.
“The set-piece was top notch,” said Murphy. “When the forwards give you front-foot ball, it makes the game a lot easier. It means you get backs on backs rather than backs running into forward traffic.
“Our back-line is top notch. We have got some great distributors and play-makers. I think you saw on Saturday that we are dangerous when we attack and get back on back.”
He added: “The backs will be down on the score-sheet, but we wouldn’t be anywhere near it if the forwards weren’t building the platform.”
Murphy insisted he wasn’t disappointed the team could not add to their try tally after the interval on Saturday.
“If we’d been chasing a bonus point second half then there would have been disappointment, but we weren’t and Henley are a good team,” he said.
“We didn’t deserve just to go out there second half and keep piling on the tries. After that first half, I’m sure they got a rocket at half-time.
“But our defence was phenomenal, so we are not going to put too much of a damper on not getting any tries second half as we’d had the bonus point racket up by half-time.”
Murphy and many of his Albion team-mates are doing Movember. You can follow their progress or sponsor them HERE