RUGBY UNION: Quins will stay up, says coach (From Witney Gazette)

RUGBY UNION: Quins will stay up, says coach

10:00am Thursday 31st January 2013 in Rugby By Ed Mezzetti, Sports reporter specialising in Rugby, Cricket and Athletics. Call me on 01865 425456

OXFORD Harlequins head coach Danny Ligairi-Badham believes they WILL avoid relegation from National 3 South West.

Quins lie 16 points from safety, with a game in hand, having won just twice in the league all season.

But Ligairi-Badham, a former Harlequins and Worcester wing, says they can pull off a great escape.

“I see the bottom four and feel we can get out it,” said Ligairi-Badham, a British-born Fijian, who took over the reins from Tevita Vaikona this year.

“I know all the other teams and what they are capable of.

“If we put out our best team, I can’t see us being troubled.

“These players are good enough coming into the rest of the season and they want to be here next year as well.”

Ligairi-Badham, 40, is certainly a confident character and hopes his positivity will spread.

“I am not trying to make them a better team, I am trying to make them a complete team,” he said.

“The number of players that want to come here is increasing.

“The atmosphere here is good, the boys are in great shape and are bonding well.

“There is enough desire and talent here to look forward.

“There are also more players coming in from Oxford University and Oxford Brookes.”

Ligairi-Badham considered playing himself in Saturday’s match against Maidenhead and remains an option for future games.

“A lot of the boys know how I play because I still play a lot on the elite sevens circuit,” he said.

“It is about me passing on my experience to these players.

“I have played all around the world.”

Ligairi-Badham runs his own company, called Ultimate Core Training, and is also head of operations and technical advisor for Tonga at this year’s Rugby League World Cup.

He was appointed at Quins to the end of the season, but is already planning beyond that and is hoping to use his contacts to raise the club’s profile.

“I am looking to next year,” said Ligairi-Badham, who also played professional basketball for Birmingham Bullets and Manchester Giants in the Budweiser League.

“I am not looking for a quick fix. I can see myself as a billboard opportunity for the club.”