Pontypool 3 Bristol 43

BRISTOL have been dealt a significant blow little more than

two weeks before the start of the Guinness Premiership season,

with Shaun Perry set to miss the opening three months.

The England scrum-half damaged his shoulder in the

pre-season friendly defeat at Exeter Chiefs on Saturday.

The club will not have the results of a scan until tomorrow

but they have provisionally booked the 30-year-old in for

surgery next week.

Bristol will also be without prop Darren Crompton (ankle)

for two months, while centre Neil Brew (pulled hamstring) is

"touch and go" to make it for the league opener at home to Bath

a fortnight on Sunday.

Head coach Richard Hill said: "He will see the specialist on

Friday but it's not looking good.

"We are bracing ourselves for Perry to be out for three

months from the moment he has the operation. He will miss the

first part of this season and that is a bit of a blow for

us."

He added: "Perry has hardly played any rugby in the last 12

months.

"You can count the number of games he has had on one

hand.

"Now he's set for another long spell on the sidelines. It's

disappointing for him and disappointing for us."

Haydn Thomas and Graeme Beveridge look set for a two-horse

race for the No 9 shirt to face Bath at the Memorial Stadium on

September 7 now.

Thomas, signed from Gloucester 12 months ago, had his "best

game in a Bristol shirt" in the 43-3 victory over Pontypool

last night, while Beveridge will stake his claim when he starts

against his former club, Glasgow, tomorrow night. Hill added:

"Haydn was a very good plus point tonight.

"That was the best game I have seen him play for

Bristol.

"We have got two very good scrum-halves in Haydn and

Graeme.

"It should be a good contest between them. Graeme will start

against his old club Glasgow."

Hill, meanwhile, was pleased despite Bristol making hard

work of beating Welsh Premier Division newcomers Pontypool last

night.

Torrential rain made handling conditions difficult – Bristol

made 14 turnovers in the first half alone – while the Welshman

were not afraid to get tough with their loftier opponents.

Number 8 James Phillips, who was asked by referee Phil Fear

to leave the field on 34 minutes to cool down after making a

late and dangerous tackle, and wing Lee Robinson both grabbed

two tries.

The result was never in doubt, despite Pontypool opening the

scoring on nine minutes, and other Bristol tries came from

flanker Alfie To'oala, centre Greg Barden and replacement

centre Nick Scott.

Fly-half Chris Ashwin kicked four conversions in his first

start for the club.

Hill added: "I really enjoyed it. Pontypool gave us a hard,

physical game, as we knew they would.

"They fronted up really well and for the first 30 minutes it

was a tough game.

"Most of the players were playing their first games this

pre-season and, when that happens, you tend to spill lots of

ball.

"We made 14 turnovers in the first half and that didn't help

to get our continuity going.

"Pontypool tired a little in the second half and then we put

some nice phases together."

Bristol take on Glasgow at Firhill tomorrow evening.

Bristol: V Lilo; L Robinson, G Barden, L Eves (E Barnes 66),

D Lemi (N Scott 51); C Ashwin, H Thomas; M Irish (A Clarke 56),

M Regan (capt, R Prosser 70), W Thompson, D Attwood, J Brown (D

Barry 66), A To'oala (C Pennycook 62), R Pennycook (R Jenkins

66), J Phillips (C Pennycook 34-40).