Adams is going back to basics in bid to halt Newport slide
Director of rugby Bob Adams is set to go back to basics in a bid to arrest Newport’s worrying start to the season.
The Old Showground outfit are bottom of the National League Two West standings following a disappointing 33-5 defeat on home soil to Old Redcliffians last Saturday.
A testing start to the season has seen Newport, who travel to table-topping Luctonians this weekend, win just once in six outings.
And now Adams is ready to abandon the new attacking system he and his coaching staff have tried to implement and revert to the style that helped them gain promotion and saw them stay up last season.
“A lot of soul searching went on over the weekend,” said Adams. “Myself, the head coach and the other coaches have to look at ourselves first.
“We need to get back to basics and doing the things we are good at.
“Our attack has been very good for a few years but we have tried to change the system this year and we have not been consistent. It has not come to fruition as quickly as we would have liked.
“We looked like we lacked confidence in the new system on Saturday.
“We changed things last year and it didn’t really work and we went back to what we know best from Christmas onwards and we improved.
“So I think it’s time to go back to the system that the vast majority of our squad are comfortable with.
“I still believe we are not a million miles away from where we want to be, but you are judged by the results on a Saturday and they have not been good.”
Fred Bailey scored Newport’s try last Saturday.
The trip to a Luctonians side with a perfect six from six record will prove testing, but Adams believes his side have nothing to lose.
“Luctonians are next and they are top of the league with six wins from six, but the pressure will be on them to get a result,” said Adams. “It’s a free hit for us, so let’s go there and see what we can do.
“Hopefully doing the simple things well and the basic well will help us move forward.”
n Bishop’s Castle & Onny Valley are one place off the bottom of Counties Four Midlands West (South) after suffering a 23-0 defeat at home to high-flying Warley.
