FAUK Bowl Buildup: Interview with Wayne Hill

A short interview with Birmingham Lions head coach Wayne Hill as he prepares for the Football America UK Bowl this Saturday in Birmingham.



How has your team prepared for the game (any different to a normal game week, extra intensity in practices?) 
No, this is just a game week for us so no extra practices.  The one thing we have done is allow some full contact sessions over the past week which we do not normally do.  This is due to not playing a game since December due to the Lincoln and Derby games being called off.  This is not ideal preparation but the players have thrived on Blue vs White competition and the opportunity to get better during these last few weeks.

Do you think the called off games will effect the intensity of the game? Will rustiness be an issue?
Sorry I answered that question before!  This is not ideal but the players and coaches have managed the situation well and we have taken the opportunity to work hard in practice and improve.

How do you feel about your teams chances and the opposition chances?
Loughborough are a great team and it is going to be a really tough game for us.  However this is why we play! There is no point in playing this game unless you test yourself, so his week is a huge test for us and we are looking forward to it.

How important this game is in context of the season?
This game is extremely important for both teams this season, especially in the MAC with the emergence of Northampton.  This game could mean the difference between the Championship Playoffs and the Plate Competition.  We lost the MAC last year to Loughborough so it is important for us to work hard Saturday to try to take a set to winning the MAC which we believe is the toughest division in BUAFL.

How do you personally approach the game?
Preparation is the key.  We have watched a lot of film and will continue to do so right up until game day.  The game plan was installed last night and we will review and tweak at practice tomorrow.  Currently the scout cards are being produced along with a practice plan that will enable us to work on some key areas we believe will be paramount to being successful on game day.

The two teams are very close off the field which seems a bit strange to some people but I think this helps as both sets of players and coaches know the importance of this game and are extremely focused on producing on Saturday.  I know Coach Sherrat very well and we are pretty good friends, he is a great coach and I am looking forward to testing my skills against his.  Its not just about the players competing, all of the coaches are competing as well.