‘An Encouraging Start, But Still A Lot Of Room For Improvement’ – Armagh Coach Parker

Some harsh lessons were learned as City of Armagh tried to adapt quickly to life in the top tier, and one point was all that separated them from Shannon in the end, finishing the 2023/24 campaign in eighth place with a total of four wins.

This time last year they went into December on a losing run, and suffered defeats in all three of their matches that month, part of a frustrating set of results that stretched from round 5 right to round 11.

Speaking this week to IrishRugby.ie, Armagh head coach Chris Parker reflected on what was a tough time for the team last year and how much stronger the group is now having come through that spell.

“Seven losses in a row and that’s difficult for everyone. It’s difficult for the management, staff, it’s difficult for the boys because the effort and application they were putting in throughout that time was phenomenal,” he explained.

“We couldn’t have asked any more of them. We just weren’t at the level on some days that was required, and we just didn’t get the rub of the green some days.

“But I think we’ve come through that and whilst there’s scars from those sorts of periods, there’s an awful lot of learning and awful lot of resilience built up at times like that, and that’s through the group rather than even just the individuals that there is a real togetherness among them.

“There’s guys who’ve been playing together for the club since mini rugby. There’s guys from the school (Royal School Armagh) that have been playing together since they were 11 years of age together.

“Being able to share those memories with each other, hopefully more good than bad, is something that’s special and important for them. We just try to make sure we aim to have more good days than bad days going forward.”

Off the pitch, Parker teaches Geography at Royal School Armagh where he also has a coaching role with their rugby programme. The school has seen plenty of talented rugby players walk the halls.

Now into his fifth year as City of Armagh’s head coach, he has been at the helm for their unforgettable rise to get into Division 1A which came on the back of a blistering top of the table finish in 2022/23.

Senior rugby only began in the club 12 years prior, when they earned promotion to the Energia All-Ireland League. Parker believes that last year’s baptism of fire has been crucial for them as they look to build on an encouraging start to the current season.

With Armagh lying seventh in the standings with three wins out of seven so far, he said: “I think that year’s experience is with them, and they probably have a better understanding of what is required to win games rather than just be competitive now.

Performance wise, we’ve been happy. Our performances have been improving. We maybe haven’t seen that quite in our results, especially at home, but it’s been an encouraging start.

“We learned a lot last year. We thought we knew what we were getting ourselves into, and I think as much as we tried to prepare for it, we ended up being quite tentative a lot of the time in games.

“And by that stage, you were chasing games, and we still picked up quite a lot of losing bonus points. Our focus this year was, if we can just turn a couple of those losing bonuses into wins, we’ll be in a far better position. And so far, we’ve done that a bit more.

“We’re still getting a lot of those losing bonus points, but I think that’s a trend across the league and shows how tight and the quality of the league at the minute that, basically, when teams lose, it’s within seven points. So it’s been an encouraging start, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

“Every week is competitive. Lansdowne and Clontarf up next (for us), it doesn’t get any easier, but I think every week when you look at it, and I’m sure every team’s the same, there’s no easy fixtures in 1A.

“I think the quality of the league is up a level from last year again across the board, and it’s hugely, hugely competitive which is great. That’s why everyone’s in it, to pit yourselves against the best, and it’s what we’re looking forward to, week to week.

“We just need to make sure we keep improving, and keep those tight ones that you end up on the wrong side of, that you learn from them.

“And then we take away the positives from those ones that we got the wins on the road (over Garryowen, Terenure College, and Young Munster), that what allowed us to succeed in those games and get the victory where we maybe fell short in the one against Cork Constitution. We’ll put a big focus on that going into the next block of games.”

Armagh’s coaching ticket had two notable additions this year in the form of forwards coach Daryl Maxwell, a former player/coach at Malone who works as a pathway coach with Ulster Rugby, and Exeter Chiefs legend Gareth Steenson, now backs coach at the Palace Grounds.

Steenson is a local boy and attended the Royal School and Queen’s University, before his professional rugby career blossomed in Exeter where he won two Premiership titles and a European Champions Cup. Prior to moving back home with his young family, he was also a part of the Chiefs coaching team.

With that first year in the top flight under their belts, Parker admits that fresh voices coming into the coaching group has certainly helped with how Armagh have kicked on and been more competitive in a lot of games, since their opening 7-0 defeat to Ballynahinch, the current leaders.

“Daryl and Gareth, those fresh ideas and fresh voices have really added to us and built upon the foundations that were in place last year.

“From our performance indicators that we look at, we can see from week to week we’re making progress. That’s the most encouraging thing that, if we can keep pushing on making that progress, hopefully the results continue to follow.

“I think at times, we look at it and we go, ‘well, we maybe could have been a wee bit more comfortable at times in some of those victories’. We still are slipping up in a few areas.

“The first game against ‘Hinch was one for the purists, that’s probably the best way of describing it. I think it was very much the first run-out of the year. Both teams weren’t at their peaks yet. So it’s that improvement from week to week that we are competitive.

“Every weekend is tight, and it’s the one percenters, two percenters, that can make a difference. We’ve spotted trends among those victories where our discipline, especially in the first half, has been very good.

“That’s a big thing for us moving forward that we’re going to try and hammer, is making sure that we’re disciplined to give ourselves more opportunities to get the ball and try and score more points, I guess.”

Getting players back from long-term injury has certainly boosted Armagh’s hopes this season, most notably versatile back Kyle Faloon. He is Division 1A’s second top scorer this term with 58 points, including 20 successful kicks at goal to go with his two tries.

When he has been released by Ulster, young back rower James McNabney has been another big performer in club colours, and welcoming back both Sam Glasgow and Josh Cunningham has increased the competition for places according to Parker.

“There wasn’t much turnover in the squad during the summer. That foundation’s been in place. There’s a couple of guys like Kyle Faloon, Sam Glasgow, and Josh Cunningham who have come back from long-term injuries where they missed most of last year.

“Kyle missed the majority of last season with an ACL injury, and he came back in for the last three games, so what he adds with his elusiveness with the ball and off the tee at the minute…

“He’s put in an awful lot of hard work as he was recovering from his ACL off his kicking off the tee, and he’s certainly one of the best strikers of the ball around at the minute. He’s in a rich vein of form off the tee, and hopefully that can continue. His place-kicking has been a fantastic asset to us this year.

“And those guys have added a bit more depth, there’s an awful lot of competition now. And I think that internal competition has really helped to drive us on. It’s made training a lot more enjoyable and a lot more competitive.

There’s guys who have been there for a while. There’s guys who’ve worked their way up the divisions, and they’ve had some bad days and some really, really good days, and they’re enjoying it. I think that’s the big thing. We’re enjoying where we are.

“We’re enjoying the challenge from week to week, and we know we have to be on our money. There’s a lot of boys who have come through school or come through the youth (system) and they’re out-and-out Armagh boys.

“It means a lot for them, week to week, to be playing and representing the club, and that’s something that we certainly acknowledge.”

During the break in All-Ireland League action, Armagh turned their attention to provincial matters, and for only the third time in the club’s near 150-year history they won the Ulster Rugby Premiership Division 1 title, defeating Dungannon 40-7 in the decider.

Lifting the Stevenson Shield can certainly be a springboard, and coming off that away league win over Young Munster, Parker praised his charges for delivering another strong performance given it was such a tight turnaround.

“We’re beginning our 150th year celebrations and to pick up the Ulster Senior League was pretty encouraging. That’s only the third time the club has won it in 150 years, so for a lot of people, that’s extremely pleasing.

“For the boys, they put in a really good performance last Thursday on a pretty cold miserable night. And we’re very happy with that because after the emotion of a win down in Limerick, it’s very easy to be off the boil again, especially with such a short turnaround.

“So, we were particularly pleased around how they handled themselves, around their mental focus, and how they were able to get themselves in a position to perform really well again.

“Provincial competitions are great, and it gives up a bit of a platform and a boost to take into the next block, but I think across the board of the 50 clubs, everyone’s bread and butter now is the AIL and wanting to make sure they perform there.”

Armagh have last season’s two beaten semi-finalists in their sights, with a home clash with Lansdowne next week before a trip to Clontarf leads them into the Christmas break.

Notably, all three of their league victories so far this season have come away from home. In contrast, three of their four successes last year cam at the Palace Grounds. Improving their home form is a must as the New Year approaches.

“I think it’s sort of a monkey on the back,” acknowledged Parker. “It’s a strange one because I think over previous years, a lot of teams would have spoken about their home games and you’ve got to win your home games and see what you can get on the road, and anything on the road’s a bonus.

“I think the competitiveness of the league this year and looking at results across the board, there’s a lot more teams winning away from home now. And maybe that with the quality that is in the league, that home advantage maybe isn’t playing such a big role from week to week.

“I think when you look at it, any team out of the ten on their day can beat each other, and it’s making for a fascinating league and a hugely competitive league. But still for our own supporters, it would be nice to get a victory at home.

“I guess our big thing last year was to be competitive, and for a lot of the time we were. Then as I said, this year, you know, it’s to try and push on a bit more, and we want to make sure that we can try and pick up those wins rather than just be happy with losing bonus points.”

He added: “I think as we see how the league’s panning out with everyone able to beat each other, there certainly is a confidence that if we can perform to our ability, we’ll certainly push very hard to get a result.

“I think if you could go on any sort of a run, if you could string sort of three wins together on the bounce, you’d rocket yourself up the table. But at the same time, if you were to string three losses together, you’d fall down pretty quickly. It’s hugely competitive.

“That competitiveness is good. It means you’ve got to be on the ball every week, and it means that your training has to be on the ball every week as well. Just keep driving those standards.

“We’d speak a lot about having to have 1A standards in everything we do, and I think that’s quite a high level to have to hold yourself to week in, week out.”

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