Bristol Rugby talking point: Three defeats from five
BRISTOL Rugby slipped to their third defeat in five Championship matches this season, after throwing away a 21-5 lead to lose 22-21 against Moseley at the Memorial Stadium.
Liam Middleton's side have now been beaten by Newcastle and Moseley at home - having gone the entire 2011-12 season without losing a home league match - and Leeds away in their five games so far.
With only the top four teams in the Championship at the end of the 22-game regular season qualifying for the play-offs and a shot at promotion, Bristol already appear to have their work cut out.
Even if they qualify for the top four, Newcastle - who tonight thrashed Leeds 53-10, five days after Leeds beat Bristol 50-31 - are already looking unstoppable.
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Head coach Middleton spoke tonight of his squad having "the raw materials" to produce much better results - and he will, at some stage, welcome a host of key men back from injury,
But, after the start they have made, are Bristol equipped to turn things round?
Comments
by wanda_jo
Sunday, September 30 2012, 8:53AM
“I disagree that the backs lack paces and thinks the wingers would too. But your general analysis is sadly all too true. And this after new signings. Thinks the 'dead wood' had more to offer than was supposed. Suspect that the coaches are leading the player down an unwelcome and possible unwanted path, which the players are fighting. Is that why some left last year?”
by pmd54
Saturday, September 29 2012, 3:03PM
“The worry is that Bristol make the same mistakes over and over again. The lineouts are poor, especially when they're in the opposition 22; the forwards don't win good quality ball; the backs lack pace; runners do not commit defenders; there is a total lack of leadership on the pitch; kicking, especially from hand is dreadful; discipline is woeful;there is no evident game plan and decision making is dreadful.
Either the players we have are not good enugh, or the coaching is inadequate or the players are, for some reason, not listening to the coaches.”
by FromMendip
Saturday, September 29 2012, 1:43PM
“Realistically the only way that Bristol will return to the Premiership is for the de facto owner, Steve Lansdown, to splash the cash in a big way. That would still be small beer compared with the sort of money he'd need to find to get Brisotl City into the Premier League.
It won't happen this season but in the close season it can only be hoped he will provide funds to sign proven players capable of beating whoever is relegated from the Prem at the end of this season.
Last season was a rare golden opportunity. Leeds, the relegated team, did not fire as relegated teams normally do (except for Bristol when they themselves were relegated).
Bristol threw everything away in a mad ten minutes at Cornish Pirates.
Had that not occurred they might well be in the Prem now. Maybe it's a good thing they are not because several of the players were signed for this season with the Prem in mind. If they can't hack it in the Championship goodness knows what sort of beatings they'd be taking in the Prem.
Bristol have been unlucky with injuries this season there is no doubt but they should have been able to put away Mosely at home with ease. At 21-5 it looked as though they were and a much bigger winning margin was anticipated come the end of the game.
Then came the implosion. Pirates all over again!”