London Irish: Exiles desperate to seal return to play-offs, says captain Matt Rogerson
“As a group we want to leave a mark on the club,” says London Irish captain Matt Rogerson as his side look to clinch a Premiership play-off place for the first time since 2009.
“We don’t want to leave here – whether through retirement or whatever – having said we could have done more.
“We want to leave everything out there and leave the club in the best place possible. Hopefully that for us means winning some silverware and leaving a legacy behind.”
It’s refreshing to hear such optimism at a club so used to yo-yoing between English rugby’s top division and the Championship.
But in this resurgent era of London Irish, directed by former Ireland coach Declan Kidney, many fans’ plucky outsider has become a contender.
“We’re all on board with this and we will try and get as far as we can,” Rogerson tells City PM
“I think every team targets the top four at the beginning of the season because it’s the pinnacle.
“But there’s a very long road ahead and if you think too far ahead and say ‘we’re going to be a top four or a finals team’ then you lose sight of how to get there.”
London Irish currently sit sixth in the Premiership, just three points outside the top four, having taken the league by storm this year.
They host Northampton on Saturday and also remain competitive in the European Challenge Cup and in the Premiership Rugby Cup, meaning they are fighting for silverware on three fronts.
“If we’d taken stock around Christmas time and said ‘where do we want to be in March?’ this would be it,” says back row Rogerson.
“Come the end of the year, if we’re in the top four and have a chance to go on into the final, that would be perfect.”
Their expansive, dynamic style of play has earned plaudits from neutrals while their attendances at their new home in Brentford are steadily rising.
It’s been nearly eight years since London Irish have seen one of their players start for England but head coach Eddie Jones recently extended training opportunities to winger Ollie Hassell-Collins and back row Will Goodrick-Clarke.
“There’s guys who are a similar age to Ollie like Tom Pearson and Ben Loader who are equally capable of getting themselves into the England squad,” says Rogerson.
“They’re fantastic players, really good professionals and still at a very young age so they have a lot to offer.
“Tom is an exciting player. He’s got the abrasiveness and the aggressiveness, the skillset is perfect as well.
“I think in recent years we have lost players to other clubs because the lads coming through feared relegation and the yo-yo between the leagues.
“If we’re performing well, that increases our reputation and we become a team not to be messed with.”
Irish have been relegated twice since they last finished in the top four but Rogerson is adamant the Championship has an important function in the rugby ecosystem.
As it stands, no team will be promoted this summer after hopefuls Doncaster and Ealing both failed to meet the Rugby Football Union’s criteria.
“Personally I believe there should be a pathway for teams to come up,” says the 28-year-olf, who played in the second tier for Irish and Jersey Reds.
“There’s a countless number of internationals at the moment, particularly for England, who have come through that pathway. There’s real value in it. It will be a shame if the door gets closed on them.
“I hope that, through the appeal process, Doncaster and Ealing can find some sort of resolution with the RFU. It’s in the best interest of competitiveness within this league.”