H&B frustrated by cold snap

Last weekend’s Kent One game away to Gillingham Anchorians was postponed and training has been disrupted just as the rugby club was gaining some momentum.

Smith said: “Any team in a good vein of wins doesn’t like to break things up, doesn’t like an enforced rest. It is frustrating. We’ve got a good run going and all of a sudden you get it disrupted.”

H&B had won six games out of seven, including a tremendous 39-17 victory at home to second-placed Vigo in their last outing a fortnight ago, until the weather stopped them in their tracks.

They trained for about 70 minutes last Thursday night, but the ground was like concrete and they were forced to use an indoor gym at Helenswood Sports Centre this Tuesday night.

“Going inside you can’t do all the things you want to do,” continued Smith. “You can’t practise a lot of the backs’ moves, you can’t do any lineouts, the only thing you can do is work on your fitness and keep that going.

“It worries you a little bit. The last game we played the whole 80 minutes really intensely, but it’s hard to achieve the goals you set out when you can’t get the guys together, do the training and work your patterns (of play).”

The game against table-topping Gillingham has been rearranged for tomorrow (Saturday), but with the freezing conditions continuing throughout this week, it would come as no surprise if it was called-off again.

H&B were originally scheduled to take on neighbours Rye in a Sussex Shield semi-final tomorrow so that match will have to be rearranged. Elliot Simmons should be back, but fifth-placed H&B lose the unavailable Ashley Lewis.