‘WE’RE not getting carried away’ was the message from London Irish duo Blair Cowan and Sean Maitland following Saturday’s thrashing of Edinburgh.
Led by Andrew Fenby’s hat-trick, the Exiles ran in six tries at Madejski Stadium during a convincing 38-6 success which propelled the side to top spot in Pool 5 of the European Challenge Cup.
Young centre Johnny Williams kept up his habit of scoring in every senior game he has played this term when securing the bonus point on the stroke of half time, with Alex Lewington and Aseli Tikiorotuma also going over for the hosts.
Despite rallying back having fallen behind to two early Grieg Tonks penalties, Irish blew away a much-changed Edinburgh side missing numerous key players from recent weeks.
The likes of Scotland pair John Hardie and Hamish Watson were absent from the matchday squad.
Both are expected to return when the two sides resume battle at BT Murrayfield on Friday night (7.30pm), with fellow Scottish internationals Cowan and Maitland urging some perspective ahead of the trip north.
“It’s going to be exciting,” said back-row Cowan.
“But we have got to be real, we have got to strip it all back and figure out what made us click there (on Saturday) and stick with that and stay positive and stay real about the challenge ahead because we know they are going to be bringing in some of their big dogs and we have got to stay focused and not get carried away, but also go there and try and enjoy it.”
Maitland, another who will be locking horns with international team-mates in the capital, added: “I’m really looking forward to getting back to home base and catching up with a few of the boys we played with at the World Cup, but as Clarky (Laidlaw, backs coach) and Blair said, don’t get carried away, because they will be rolling in the big boys next week and it is going to be a much tougher performance.
“So we can’t get carried away and keep working hard. It will be good to go back.”
Maitland impressed at full-back while Cowan was introduced from the bench on 35 minutes when captain Luke Narraway had to be withdrawn following a bang to the head.
But the latter revealed after the game how a chat with the coaching team resulted in the 29-year-old going back to basics with his game, a decision Cowan believed he benefitted from on Saturday afternoon.
He said: “I have spoke closely with the coaches recently about my personal game and sometimes I overplay and it was just about stripping back and adding what I do and try not to over do things.
“And (on Saturday) I felt that and went out after the talks I have had the D (defensive) coaches and obviously Tom Coventry, I felt like I took my step forward today because I just relaxed and did what I do and know what I can do.
“I had a couple of niggles in my shoulder, so I had a bit of downtime and a chance really just to focus physically on myself and get my mind back, and that was a sort of well-timed niggle and now I feel like I’m definitely back and fully focused.
“That performance out there was really enjoyable and it was just fun to play rugby.”
Victory was only Irish’s second win of the season, with both successes to date coming in Europe.
A third win in the this competition later in the week would all but eliminate Friday’s opposition and last season’s runners-up and leave Exiles to in pole position to progress to the knockout stages.
The cup is obviously a welcome distraction from a tough start to the Premiership season, where Irish have lost all six games played this term and sit bottom of the standings.
But according to coach Laidlaw, no one is reaching out to push the panic button just yet.
“Obviously it has been a tough couple of months and this competition has been a lot kinder to us,” he said.
“But we are really happy with the win. It has been a tough few weeks, so to get a performance and get a win is only going to be a confidence boost, isn’t it?
“If the boys keep working the way they are they are going to get their rewards.
“If we had played 15 games and we had played all the bottom teams we would be slightly more stressed, but the reality is we knew how tough it was.
“We knew where this club was last season. We weren’t in the top four, we have not dropped anywhere and we are just trying to build, and that doesn’t happen overnight.
“We’re starting a journey and we aspire to be as good as teams as Saracens and so on, so we’re certainly no panicking after six games.”
