YORK VALKYRIE coach Leon Pryce says “there is still lots to work on” as his side prepare for a Challenge Cup quarter-final with Huddersfield Giants.
His first match in charge was their 54-12 group stage success against Barrow Raiders, and he was delighted to start his tenure with a win which guaranteed a home draw in the last eight.
“Overall I was happy, but there are lots of areas to improve on and lots that we can build on in training,” reflected Pryce, who previously coached Workington in the men’s game.
“We looked good for 15 to 20 minutes at the start, but then dropped a little bit below the standard we need.
“There is lots to work on in defence – line speed, aggression, contact – and I think we can be a little bit more ruthless, especially playing at home.
“But it was pleasing overall that we’ve had five months of a hard pre-season and the reward was to go out there and enjoy themselves by playing rugby.”
Pryce handed opportunities to Under 19 players Olivia Turner, who started at fullback, and Ruby Ellis, who featured off the bench, as they both made a second appearance for the club after making their debuts last year.
A number of other recent Academy graduates featured against Barrow and for Pryce, it was the perfect opportunity for him to see what they can offer.
“We have got a very, very good Under 19 team here with lots of potential and those kind of games give you a chance to have look at them and see how they perform in a faster, more physical match against older and more experienced players,” he explained.