WHEN planning for the 2008-09 campaign, Mark Regan had not intended to use the Help for Heroes charity match as a final preparation for his first Guinness Premiership appearance of the season.

With the likes of ex-Bristol forwards Dave Hilton and Gareth Llewellyn in the opposition pack in the Twickenham clash, Regan was expecting a friendly confrontation.

But, should he be needed from the bench, Regan is now ready to roll with the punches in Bristol's crunch Premiership match at Newcastle tonight (8pm).

Regan said: "I said to Dave Hilton before the first scrum 'nice and easy, is it'? He replied saying 'yeah, yeah, no problem'.

"But after the first couple of scrums I thought this gentleman's agreement had gone out of the window!

"I was smashed at the first couple of rucks, bashed at the first couple of mauls, and crashed in the first couple of tackles. It wasn't a festival of rugby.

"It was a tough old game. I was still feeling the after-effects on Tuesday. It has got me ready for Newcastle. We always knew it was going to be a tough, physical game.

"There were so many big names on show, you didn't want to let anyone down."

Since announcing his intention to play in the Heroes clash, Regan had been relegated to Bristol Reserves. He skippered the reserve side to a pre-season 43-3 victory at Pontypool and then led from the front as the club opened their Guinness A League campaign at Bath with a 37-26 win.

But he knew – even at the age of 36 – that he would be forced to do it the hard way to reclaim a place in Bristol's first-team squad.

He added: "I am pleased to be involved. I have enjoyed my last couple of weeks. I am back fully now and raring to go for the first team.

"That may have well been the plan anyway. It is going to be a hard trek up to Newcastle.

"I always knew I was going to be involved in the Heroes match. (Bristol head coach) Richard Hill was fully aware of that.

"He didn't want me to be involved in Bristol's first three games. He said to me 'go out and get fit for the second team and then you're back in the first-team squad'. That's what I've done. I have had to be patient and keep training."

Bristol are yet to win this season – they have lost nine games in a row if you count the last six defeats from last season – but they are confident they will kick-start their campaign tonight.

Regan added: "The boys played a lot better against Sale last Friday (Bristol lost 9-6). We need to take that performance forward and need to be physical.

"We have to be more clinical when we are moving the ball. We are making too many mistakes, but the physicality and pack dominance was there again.

"Newcastle away on a Friday night is going to be hard. But if we build on the Sale performance, we have every chance of coming away with a victory."