Rampant Nottingham cruise past Coventry in cup

Delaney says Nottingham will take confidence from Sunday's win

Nottingham ended their five-game losing run with a seven-try 43-17 victory over Coventry in the British and Irish Cup at Meadow Lane on Sunday.

Tries from Andy Savage, Dan White, Tim Streather, David Jackson, Greg Sammons and Jack Cobden sees Nottingham remain third in Pool B with one game left.

A bonus-point win in their final match against Bristol could give the Green & Whites a semi-final place.

But Munster A would also have to lose against Heriots in their final game.

Only the top team progresses into the last four.

And Nottingham face a tricky home tie against Bristol on Sunday, 7 March while Munster, who have a 100% record, are at home to winless Heriots on Friday, 12 March.

Sunday's performance was arguably Nottingham's best of 2010 with both forwards and backs looking dangerous in attack.

Director of rugby Glenn Delaney told BBC Radio Nottingham: "The balance was nice.

"We scored tries through the hands, we scored tries from defensive turnovers and when we needed to tighten things up we could drive them over. We had a good balance in attack."

Coventry found it hard to deal with the speed at which Nottingham moved the ball before the tackle with Dave Marshall and Tim Streather finding gaps to exploit in the Cov line.

Marshall, 20, who made his first full start at Meadow Lane, said he relished his playing at inside centre.

"I enjoyed it because it gave me the opportunity to have some more space," Marshall said.

The reality is, is that we're a bit down on power in the midfield at the minute

Nottingham director of rugby Glenn Delaney

"Tonksy [Greig Tonks] pulled the strings inside me but when he got involved with the breakdown it gave me the opportunity to step up into the first-receiver slot."

And not only did Marshall contribute in attack for Nottingham he also put in a fine defensive performance, which did not go unnoticed by Delaney.

"The reality is, is that we're a bit down on power in the midfield at the minute," Delaney added. "But Marshall and Streather give us different options.

"Both of them are very brave and they go hard at every situation but whilst they are there for their playmaking skills, they do go forward and make good tackles as well."