London Broncos head coach Mike Eccles has aired his frustrations with the speed of the game after his side’s 22-16 loss to Huddersfield Giants.
Specifically, Eccles spoke on how referee James Vella allowed the ruck to be officiated, bemoaning the “lack of intensity” at the breakdown which is something that departed Leeds Rhinos head coach Rohan Smith often criticised Super League officials for.
Defeat for the Broncos means they remain bottom of the table and another chance to overtake Hull FC has slipped through their hands, particularly considering that they were well in the game for large periods with a late penalty and try being the difference.
Asked for his feelings after the game, Eccles told Sky Sports: “Frustration, really. We really hurt ourselves. Huddersfield built a lot of pressure early on and we came through that and we went up the other end and scored. We started building some pressure for ourselves.
“I think the interchange was crucial in the game, I thought that their middles got over our interchange middles and gave them some ascendance in the game. I just thought we gave them so much there with some stupid decision-making, to be honest with you.”
London Broncos boss bemoans slow ruck
Credit: SWpix
Despite that early pressure from Huddersfield, it was London who took the lead and they would later reclaim it after being pegged back but with the scores tied at 16-16 the Broncos gave away a penalty in front of the sticks for defence to gift the Giants the lead.
That was one of the things that Mike Eccles alluded to, however, he was also critical of the speed at which the game was allowed to be played by referee James Vella.
The London Broncos coach said: “We hurt ourselves, we didn’t get the rub of the green either, there’s a couple of bits in there I’m not most pleased with shall I say, but yeah we certainly hurt ourselves today but credit to Huddersfield.
“I thought their ruck management was outstanding today, it slowed the ruck down to the pace the official allowed it to be, it was a super super slow game, I don’t know where it looked from up there but it was kind of no intensity around the ruck at all.”
The defeat leaves London bottom with just two games to go, tough tests on the road against Catalans and Warrington, but Eccles was eager to reflect on the huge improvements that his side have made ahead of their impending relegation.
“I’m just immensely proud of where we’re at. To be competing in pretty much every game at the minute for the last five, six, seven weeks is amazing. I’m so proud of the boys. We’re so close and the expectation now is that we can win and that makes it even harder to take unfortunately.
“I’m full of emotion now but I’m still so proud of the boys. We could have got off the bottom today but we didn’t. A few bits went against us. We’ll take accountability of our own decisions there which I thought hurt us to be fair at times And another one has just got away.”
