THAT was nerve-racking, it's horrible when they're within one score, especially after what happened [with Dorking] in Exmouth, but it was a great win, the boys stuck at it well. As a head coach it was a nightmare to watch.
We got off to a great start, got three points ahead and seemed to think the job was done.
They came back into it, we knew they weren't going to lay down and die, and in the second half we played better.
We came through the tournament having beaten teams by 30 or 40 points and that was a reasonable team to beat so you've got to be pleased with that.
They must be gutted, but I won't worry about that. After the [Dorking] play-off defeat in Exmouth, I'm quite happy with that. It is good to see some smiles on faces again. It was a tough end to the season for the Dorking lads. I'm chuffed with that for them and for the Irish lads, who have done a triple, that's no mean feat, so I'm chuffed for everyone.
Will Crow is very competitive, very fast with great feet. He's a good player and he's been unfortunate with his opportunities at Dorking, because Steve [Munford] has been vice-captain and first-choice kicker.
But he showed the difference he can make to a game and he came off the bench and did a great job, we always thought he could change the game and he certainly did.
We are getting to like this place, it's a great environment to play rugby in, but just shows we can't just enter the tournament and expect to win. We lost the first one and then won it quite comfortably last year, but we had to fight every inch for it this year.
Now we have to have a discussion with Surrey as to what we do next year. Do we say that we've won this twice and have a go at the Bill Beaumont Cup, or do we come back and do this again?
The Bill Beaumont Cup is open to National One teams and below, so it might be tough for the Dorking boys, but if we enter this again next year the London Irish boys won't qualify.
We've got to look at it. We'd be looking at the second division to start which would be a good test for our lads, it's a close-knit squad, to keep that bunch together and move forward again next season would be nice.
Richie Andrews was talking to Lee Wilmot.
