Beginning the New Year program with a fifth straight league defeat at the hands of Worthing had the alarm bells ringing at Redruth RFC.
In times of trouble it’s reassuring to turn to an old friend and someone who during his time as head coach had helped guide the club into National League 1 and the verge of gaining promotion to the Championship, a Redruth man through and through, Nigel Hambly.
When the news broke last week that Hambly had agreed to return to the club as Director of Rugby until the end of the current season, it was just the lift every Redruth supporter wanted to hear, whilst on the field the Hambly effect saw the Reds break that losing streak with 32-5 win against Guernsey.

“It’s good to be back, said Hambly with a wry smile. “I am just here to help out and provide a fresh set of eyes to help both Pale Nonu and Gareth Tedstone. Sometimes a new person can see things others can’t. I haven’t got a magic wand, we have got some good players here and today they really responded and took ownership of their performances, maybe that’s been lacking a little, sometimes you have to look in the mirror and ask the question.
Hambly is looking at his squad and looking for their commitment to the cause. “I am great believer that if you are going to do something you do it well, I am prepared to give my time up and so are they, we saw that this week with the numbers at training, everyone want’s to buy in to what we want achieve and that’s great.

Hambly was impressed with his players desire in wanting to play for each other. “Whether as a team, or individually, the boys really gave their all. We were under the cosh at times during the game and we all had to step up, the lads didn’t shirk. We stuck it out and fought for each other which is very pleasing, the lads have been a little low in confidence and can use this to build for the next game.

At half-time Hambly confided he had given his players one of his infamous half-time pep-talks. “Just a little bit of hair-dryer treatment, but I thought the lads needed it, sometimes you need it more when you’re playing well so as not to relax and keep the mind-set focused. From that you got the purple patch when we score three tries in the space of eight minutes.
One of Redruth’s big problems this season has been the number of cards players have had during the game and as someone who has spent time being a referee in recent times Hambly has a unique perspective about the man with the whistle. “Playing with fourteen men is a game killer, I don’t like my side getting any cards, but I did think that Loma Kivalu’s yellow was little harsh, we’d been on their line and they gave away string of penalties with no sanction, that’s the way it goes. Overall, though I thought the officials did a good job.

Hambly now turns his attention to Clifton next week. “Training on Tuesday and Thursday, hopefully it will go as well as last week and look to build on today’s result against a useful Clifton side. I am looking for competition for places with lads who didn’t feature today pushing for a start.”