Banbridge AIL growth boost but Robert Logan aware points the end goal

Both sides were relegated last season - Bann are sixth, two points off the play-offs but just eight ahead of basement club Malone.

Bann coach Robert Logan has been relatively happy with his young side in the AIL but knows the Rifle Park club need a strong second half to the season.

“Coming in this season, we're really happy with how recruitment had gone, and we had injected a lot of fresh faces in the squad, a lot of young guys come out of school which was exciting, but we knew from the outset it would be a learning experience for them,” said Logan. “And it would take a bit of time for them to adapt to All Ireland League rugby and that has proven to be the case.

“We’ve lost the number of games, but I don't think we've been completely outplayed by any means, they've been close encounters, bar maybe the loss at UL Bohs.

“Anything else we’ve been right in the fight and it's ultimately been encouraging, albeit we need to pick up few results now to sort of make sure we don't get dragged into that fight at the bottom of the league.

“As a squad, the growth in the squad we’re happy, we seem we are in a good place. I think we have given 13 AIL debuts this season so that is exciting, and those boys will need time to develop and grow to show their potential.

“We are maybe not getting the consistency in results but we are getting the consistency in performance and we’re seeing a good application of what we are working on midweek on a Saturday, so that is encouraging so, hopefully, in time we can turn that consistency of performance into consistency of results and drag ourselves away from the bottom of the league and push for the playoffs.”

Logan is delighted to have form Ulster winger Rob Lyttle on the coaching ticket.

“We know Rob well, he played for us as a contracted player, he’s a local lad and his brother Max is in the squad as well so he is exactly the type of player we want,” he said. “We want to build our team around local lads who are living in the area so Rob has been a great acquisition.

"We’ve been able to move him around a bit and he has played in various positions...regardless he obviously brings that experience and he’s a wise old head there, although he is only in his mid-20s the experience he has is useful for the younger guys.”

City of Armagh will hope to return to winning ways in Division 1A as they welcome defending league champions Terenure to the Palace Grounds.

Chris Parker’s side have lost their last six games and sit ninth in the table.

“We realise the importance of picking up points and pick them up as soon as possible, said Parker. “It is not a must-win but it is one where we are at home and they’ll certainly be an expectation that we’ll go out and produce a performance and will give us a good chance of getting a victory.

“They are a top side, I think they have the best defence in the league and produce some of the best individual club players in the country. “It’s a huge ask...they are able to attract players for Ulster, Connacht, Munster and all around Dublin.

"They are a pretty formidable outfit but that is why we wanted to be in 1A."

He added: “We wanted these challenges, we wanted to welcome these teams to the Palace.

“There wasn’t much we can take from the first as there was a gale-force wind blowing down the pitch and it really made it a game of two halves, I think we saw their strengths and a number of ball-carriers that we are going to have to try and nullify.

“They have the best defence in the league so they are going to be difficult to break down, but we hope we have targeted a couple of areas where we maybe can get at them this weekend.

“It will be difficult and we have certainly put a focus this week on a number of areas we need to improve on from last weekend and if we get those right we’ll give ourselves a good shot.”