“ENJOY it, embrace it.” Those are the words from Blackburn director of rugby Dino Radice to his players in one last push for the title.
In a thrilling finale to the season, it has come down to a two-team showdown - Blackburn left with a shoot-out against Lymm knowing the highest scorers will clinch the Regional 1 North West title and promotion.
Lymm currently lead the table by five points - the equivalent of a bonus-point victory - with a 42-point advantage but one game remaining.
Crucially, Blackburn have a game in hand and are in touching distance thanks, in no small part, to their historic 190-0 win against Kirkby Lonsdale a fortnight ago.
Blackburn host eighth-placed Wirral this afternoon while Lymm’s final game of the season is against an unpredictable Nantwich side who are ninth in the table.
While Radice will be looking for his players to stick to a game plan he knows there will have to be a bit of throwing caution to the wind as they look to rack up the points.
“It’s difficult, we are in a situation where simply winning is not good enough,” he said. “We need the bonus point and we need as many points as possible.
“It may come to the stage where we are going to play right on the edge just to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
“But it’s exciting, to be in this position with two games to go, it doesn’t get more exciting that this.
“I have told the players to embrace it and enjoy it.”
Blackburn were made to work hard for their latest bonus point win of the campaign as they fought back to win 35-15 at Stockport.
Lee Ferrier crossed for two tries while there was one each for Tom Burtonwood, Corey Logan, Josh Jarrold while conversions came from Leon Fifield (3) and Jarrold (2).
“Stockport is a very difficult place to go to play, let alone win and let alone pick up a bonus point,” added Radice. “We had to fight back first and then we were having to rush it to try and get the bonus point.
“We know we are going to have to do that again this weekend.”
After Wirral, Blackburn complete the season at Manchester next weekend and Radice is hoping there is still something to play for.
“On the one hand, we can’t worry about what Lymm are doing because we can’t do anything about that,” he said. “But at the same time, we are hoping they don’t go and hammer Nantwich and make it virtually impossible to make up that points difference.
“But the main thing is that we take it to the final weekend and be in a position to win the league.
“To do that, we have to respect Wirral, don’t take anything for advantage and play to the best of our ability.
“We know we need the win and the bonus point and we know we need as many points as possible but we have to make sure we don’t get too carried away.
“Whatever happens, these are excited times and let’s hope we can take it to the final game and be in a position to know exactly what we need to do to stand a chance of winning the title.”
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