Grieve: Saints clash is crucial

Iain Grieve says Bristol are determined to make a successful return to Guinness Premiership action.

The club are four points behind second-from-bottom Worcester but have spent the last month playing in the EDF Energy Cup and European Challenge Cup competitions.

They will be chasing their first league win of the season when Northampton visit the Memorial Stadium on Sunday week.

"We have been working for the last four or five weeks towards the Northampton game," said Grieve.

"We are at the Memorial and we are in front of our own fans. This is a big one because it is the start of the Premiership again. This is a game where we want to make our mark in the Premiership.

"We have gone through a lot. We've gone through game plans, our moves and loads of other stuff including our basic skills."

The 21-year-old Grieve shot on the scene last month and impressed in the club's opening EDF Energy Cup and European Challenge Cup matches at Northampton and Montpellier respectively.

With no club matches this weekend, Bristol gave the players a seven-day holiday but Grieve, although he was passed fit last Friday after suffering a dead leg against Toulon nearly a month ago, was at the club trying to improve his match fitness.

And when full training resumes on Monday, the former Colston's School pupil will be out to catch head coach Richard Hill's eye. He added: "I hope to hit the ground running on Monday when I have to start all over again.

"I have been in every day this week. I want to make sure everything is ready. This week was important so I can get my leg right.

"I am staying positive. I was doing a bit of extra training this week to get my match fitness back up to speed."

With Grieve injured, Dan Ward-Smith has seized the opportunity to reclaim the No 8 shirt. The former Plymouth Albion back row forward has struggled to recapture the form that took him to the brink of an England cap before dislocating his knee and snapping his patella tendon 18 months ago.

But, with competition for places in the back row fierce, Grieve has been impressed by Ward-Smith's form.

Grieve added: "Wardy has done really well. He is starting to come back to the old player we know. He has worked really hard to get back there. I am really pleased for him."

Speaking about competition for places in the back row, Grieve added: "This season I am concentrating on playing No 8. I can play openside but (captain) Joe (El-Abd) plays there and it is really hard for me to get into his position.

"Alfie (To'oala) and Salts (Matt Salter) can play blindside flanker also. Redford Pennycook is also coming on well. Competition is high and it's hard to get in the team."

● Bristol have denied reports that prop Ray Hogan has gone on loan to National Division One Newbury.