Biljon is delighted with progress as impressive Cornish Pirates find their form
Cornish Pirates assistant coach Harvey Biljon declared himself satisfied after watching his team win 32-6 on Tayside against Dundee High on Saturday in the British and Irish Cup last Saturday.
After some indifferent displays in a modest start to this season, the Pirates finally turned in a solid 80 minute display as they saw off a stern challenge from the Scottish Premiership side, scoring four tries to clinch their second bonus-point win in two Cup games.
Strong defence, good discipline, excellent set-piece work and some fine play from a set of backs who carried a serious threat left Biljon happy, and he commented: "What stood out for me in particular was that we didn't force it on Saturday. We stuck to task and built the phases, built the pressure, and took our opportunities when they came."
Laurie McGlone became the fifth man to lead the Pirates this season and the Number 8 clearly relished the responsibility, rampaging almost at will with the ball in hand whilst keeping his team focused on their collective responsibilities elsewhere.
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Biljon was impressed with the skipper's role in the win. "He's a composed head in the team and has got a lot of respect from the players so they listen," he said. "When you've had trouble like we've had, you need a senior man to step up on and off the field. Because the players respect him so much, they will follow that."
The Pirates' backs have come in for criticism in recent weeks for not scoring enough points but, with three of the four tries coming from behind the pack, Biljon liked what he saw.
"I was impressed that the backs won the territory battle and we didn't play in dead areas," he explained. "We used all our kicking options and the boys worked hard for the scores and thoroughly deserved them.
"Even Phil Burgess's score in the second half was a backs score, really, in the way it was set up. We have worked hard in combining the back row with the backs, and it came off on Saturday."
After two rounds of the Cup, the Pirates sit top of Pool Three with maximum points ahead of a return to Championship action this weekend, when Leeds visit Mennaye Field.
Biljon knows that the Penzance team need to build on their Cup form quickly as they look for their first league win since September 9.
"We have got to ramp it up and prepare for Leeds now, because we really need to be up for that one," he said.
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