HERRIMAN — According to Utah Warriors Coach Greg Cooper, his team’s 30-27 win over the Seattle Seawolves last week was the best performance he’s been a part of since arriving in Utah three years ago. Seattle gave the Warriors all they could handle and then some as Cooper’s team just managed to hang on for the big win.
But as tough as the Seawolves proved last week, Cooper believes this week’s task could prove even tougher.
The Warriors (4-1) welcome two-time defending Major League Rugby Champion New England Free Jacks (2-3) to Zions Bank Stadium this Saturday. And although New England’s record hasn’t been stellar so far this season, Cooper believes it’s largely a misnomer to the quality of rugby his team is anticipating.
“They’re a little bit like Seattle. They’re back-to-back champions and they’re very similar to those teams this year. They’re just not quite there at the moment,” Cooper said. “But Seattle got there when we played them last week, we felt, and that’s exactly what we’re expecting against New England.”
Fortunately for Cooper Utah poses a team that not only presents formidable personnel on the field to counteract what the Free Jacks are set to present, but many others in the background helping the process. It’s a group Utah Warriors fly half Joel Hodgson was quick to credit after last week’s thrilling victory with Cooper echoing Hodgson’s sentiments.
“Any team that has success isn’t just about the guys that take the field. It can’t be,” Cooper said. “We work really, really hard on training that everyone is working toward the same goal. Some players aren’t being selected, but they need to help prepare the guys that are being selected.”
It’s a task that can largely be viewed as an unthankful one and thereby can be difficult to enact effectively on a week-to-week basis. Cooper understands this better than most and believes open communication is the key in keeping all of his players focused on the ultimate team goal.
“It’s not an easy thing,” Cooper said. “So the environment has to be that we’re all working toward one common goal, and it’s a credit to the guys who helped prepare and it speaks well to the character of the team.”
Those who will be selected to play on Saturday will have to be on top of their games if the Warriors hope to get by what Cooper believes will be a highly-motivated New England team.
“If we blink then we’ll be in trouble,” Cooper said. “You don’t just go from back-to-back champions to a bad team. We’ve absolutely got to be on top of our game because what’s coming this week could be even harder than what we faced in Seattle.”
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