CAST your mind back to 1999, when Ricky Martin released Livin’ La Vida Loca, Y2K was set to destroy everything and, most importantly in this context, the Shermanator offered one of the better quotes in side-splitter American Pie - “confidence is high, repeat, confidence is high”.
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Right now, after opening their 2016 Blowes Clothing Cup account with four straight wins, nothing applies more perfectly to Orange Emus than those seven words.
The reigning champions have accounted for perennial contenders Bathurst Bulldogs, former heavyweights Narromine Gorillas, finals aspirants Mudgee Wombats and the enigmatic Parkes Boars in the opening four rounds respectively, to sit undefeated atop the standings.
“Confidence is high,” Emus coach Paul Ringland said.
“We certainly aren’t getting ahead of ourselves though. Apart from Bulldogs, we haven’t really played any of the sides who we expect to be there at the top come the end of the season.
“We did beat Mudgee in Mudgee and Parkes in Parkes though, both games we lost last season. We’d put plenty of focus into those wins.”
Heading into Saturday’s round five clash with CSU Bathurst, the thought of dropping a game hasn’t even crossed the greens’ minds.
Ringland said his side was wary of CSU as the students have shown more than promising signs in the opening four rounds, although they’re yet to really hit their straps, winning just one of their four games.
Importantly for the university side, they have been competitve in their three losses.
“We’re very wary, particularly after their dip last weekend. We expected them to beat Cowra and I think they probably did too, so I’m sure they’ll come out hard at us on the weekend,” Ringland said.
“I think they will have learned their lessons from last weekend. From what I know they’ll still be playing their traditional up-tempo brand of rugby and we’re expecting them to come hard at us at the breakdown.
“We’ve been working on that area of the game, along with our attacking structures and honing our set-piece.”
Emus lock horns with CSU from 3.15pm at Endeavour Oval.
ORANGE EMUS: 1 Nas Havealeta, 2 Keith Howarth, 3 Steve Fergus, 4 Nick Hughes-Clapp, 5 Alo Finau, 6 Andrew Cosgrove, 7 Josh Ellice-Flint, 8 Scott McLean, 9 Sam Green, 10 Todd Freedman, 11 Tom Green, 12 Simon Badgery, 13 Lachie Harris, 14 AJ Sykes, 15 Zac White
