AFTER snapping an eight-game losing streak last Saturday, you could forgive the CSU side for relaxing just a bit.

But with their rivals tomorrow the Dubbo Kangaroos in desperate need of a win to try and stay in finals contention in the Central West Rugby Union competition, CSU will need all the intensity they can muster.

Competition heavyweights Dubbo are in the rare situation of possibly missing the finals and are currently trailing fifth placed Mudgee and sixth placed Cowra by three points.

As a consequence, CSU coach James McLaren is expecting to feel the full force of a team who beat his own outfit 60-5 earlier this season when the pair clash at University Oval tomorrow.

“It’s a bit of a bugger. As if we wanted them to have any extra incentive,” McLaren said.

“I’d love to have them coming here leading the comp comfortably and having a glorified training run with their third grade team, but that’s not the case.”

While there were still a lot of the students’ regular flaws on show against Narromine last weekend in a rare victory, there was no shortage of heart and more importantly, aggression.

Those qualities are two things that McLaren believes can help his side compete against Dubbo.

Some help with the 50-50 calls wouldn’t go astray either.

“There was actually a slight air of disbelief after we won [last Saturday], especially with how the game was officiated,” McLaren said. “There was a lot that went against us and I was really happy that the players didn’t let the frustration lead to ill-discipline.

“A 20-year-old James McLaren would have absolutely lost it. But from my castle of hypocrisy I can sit here now and say that I am very proud of the way the guys kept their heads and didn’t react.

“What I think made a huge difference was the sheer aggression in defence.”

Another factor in last week’s win that the coach will be desperate to instill in his team tomorrow is belief.

He admitted that in many matches this season against the higher ranked sides, a lack of self-confidence has consigned CSU to defeat before a ball has been kicked.

Changing that mindset tomorrow can hopefully lead to a better outcome.

“A massive problem has been convincing ourselves that we can win. If you don’t do that, it just won’t happen,” McLaren said.

“The guys didn’t suddenly become better players or they don’t become worse players against good sides. It has so much to do with mindset.

“It is a big weekend for the club, there are a lot of old boys coming back for some reunions from years gone by and the team would love to put on a good performance for them.

“We’d love them to say ‘Were we that good when we played or are they better than us?’ rather than ‘Gee we were a lot better in our day.’ I know what I’d prefer.”

Play gets underway at 3.15pm tomorrow.

CSU: 1 Sam Unga, 2 Anthony Nougher, 3 Jack McKenna, 4 Angus Hombsch, 5 Charlie McIntosh, 6 Tom Greenaway, 7 Pat Fahy, 8 Nick Dutton, 9 Josh Gemmell, 10 Gus Flannery, 11 Maui Moody, 12 Blake Ridges, 13 Chad Ashton, 14 Dom Huggett, 15 Cam Backhouse.