IT’S amazing how much better one’s beer tastes after a win, writes Kendal RUFC coach Ian Voortman.

The players can be proud of the rugby we came up with in the first half against Manchester. With a combination of clinical forward drives and exciting support play, the game was all but over at half time.

You have to take your hat off to the Manchester players and the spirit with which they play, and I hope they get that first win of the season soon.

We welcome Rugby Lions to Mint Bridge this weekend for a match that Kendal badly need to win.

For me the most important statistic after the first part of the season has been the fact that we have lost seven games by a score or less.

I do not think that this has anything to do with bad luck. I believe that a side has to learn to see out tight games together in order to develop the belief it takes to win consistently.

Our result against Manchester was a step in the right direction, a win against Rugby will be another.

I have been delighted with the contribution of our new Kiwi prop Iain Hudson since his arrival.

He has been a stand-out performer recently and his infectious personality has seen him become a very popular squad member.

If you have never seen a 19-stone man do the splits, get yourself down to the rugby this weekend.

Iain’s party trick is worth the admission fee alone.