2 weeks Ago
MARK Applegarth believes there can be no complaints if he makes changes to his York Knights side against Widnes after last week’s loss at Featherstone. The Knights had led 16-0 at the break after a Joe Brown try and Ben Jones-Bishop brace, but the Rovers turned the game on its head after the break, running in 24 unanswered points to take victory, despite Liam Harris pulling the scores back to 24-22 in the closing stages. Applegarth had named an unchanged side for that match following a 66-0 demolition of Doncaster five days previous, but with competition for places high, could opt to switch things up against Widnes on Sunday.
Asked whether he is likely to make changes, the head coach replied: “We’ll see. I’ve always said that I’ll pick on performance, and training as well. “There’s a couple of lads who are chomping at the bit to have a crack, so we’ll see how training unfolds this week.
“But I don’t think there can be any grumbling if there are any changes after a loss. I think it makes your life a lot easier as a coach. “We’ve got a really solid group, people take responsibility, and I’ll take responsibility when I feel that I’ve not got our tactics right.
The players normally take responsibility when they feel that they’ve not hit the standards that they’ve set. “When you’ve got that sort of openness and honesty it provides a good environment, and sometimes that means that people will get opportunities at the expense of others, but everyone will put the team before themselves, put it that way.” Young forward Harvey Reynolds – who scored in the aforementioned Doncaster win - did not feature off the bench at Post Office Road, but Applegarth stressed the former Hull KR youngster will certainly see more game time this year.
“It’s just how the games go sometimes,” he said. “I felt that the team that we had out there was the team to get us back into the game. “I felt for young Harvey, I’ve been in his shoes myself, so I did let him know after.
But at the same time, it’s not community rugby, and we pick a team that we feel is going to do the job for us. “Harvey understood it, and he’s got a pretty mature head on him. But there’ll be plenty more rugby for Harvey this year, don’t worry about that.
” Jacques O’Neill is among those chomping at the bit for game time, having returned to fitness after missing the start of the season due to a hamstring injury. With first-choice hooker partnership Paul McShane and Sam Cook both among York’s standout performers so far, he is yet to make his debut, but Applegarth believes that will come sooner rather than later. “Jacques, he’s been doing everything, he’s in my ear every single training session letting me know he’s ready,” he explained.
“He’s been training the house down, so I think he’ll get his opportunity sooner rather than later, but if it’s this week, I don’t know. “But he’s definitely fit, firing and ready to go.” Prop Conor Fitzsimmons is also back in contention after recovering from ankle and calf injuries that have kept him sidelined since the end of February.
“Fitzy just needs some training minutes now. “He was back in full training last week, barring the occasional thing he had to do with the physio, so he’ll be in contention for Sunday as well. “I thought he was in good form before this injury, so he’ll be a welcome addition back into contention for sure.
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