Post by Jamie Crawford on Nov 3, 2014 10:20:10 GMT
The Knights now face a stern test, perhaps the toughest of the season; an away encounter against league-leaders Bristol. Our unbeaten away record faces a testing ordeal; I’ll say that again, we have not lost away from home yet this season. However we travel to Ashton Gate Stadium to face Bristol who have not lost any game yet this season. One team’s winning record is going to be broken; the Knights need to ensure that it’s not theirs.
Congratulations to the Knights playing trio Tomasi Palu, Jon Phelan and Tyler Hotson have all been selected and join their respective nations ahead of the year’s autumn international series. This may leave us without three of the squad plus with recent injuries to Matt Clark and Andrew Bulumakau it only leaves Bevon Armitage as our single dedicated centre. Let’s just hope our remaining dedicated second row players, Matt Challinor and Glenn Kenworthy don’t get injured but I’m sure that Griff has a plan.
Bristol remain the only unbeaten team in the Championship league and they have declared their intention of a return to the Premiership. This has been backed up by significant spending on players; the Autumn Internationals should affect their playing squad more significantly than our three players. Part of that spending is to redevelop Ashton Gate to make it a ‘stable’ for all of Bristol’s team sports. Work has started and is very evident; the targeted completion is for the 2016/17 season so the players have a significant home advantage with the buzz, excitement and anticipation around Ashton Gate. Bristol City are top of their league, Bristol rugby are top of the Championship and Bristol ladies football team are the only English team left in the Champions League and they welcome Barcelona ladies shortly. ‘Success breeds success’ and each team will feed of each other’s success.
Bristol have only not scored four tries or more in one game, they even scored four unconverted tries when they beat Worcester Warriors 23 – 19 and they have scored nearly 80 points more than the Knights over five games. The difference is less apparent in defence as we have leaked twenty more points than Bristol. The Knights have leaked two more tries than Bristol over five games and 80% of Bristol’s leaked tries were by backs, probably scored in the second and last quarters (read on).
Bristol Centre Auguy Slowik is their highest point’s scorer, with six tries. Fly Half Mathew Morgan has scored three tries in five games and Hooker Max Crumpton, Centre Ben Moses, Winger David Lemi, Utility Back Andrew Short and Hooker Ross Johnson has scored a brace of tries. Therefore Bristol’s Hooker position has scored four tries in five games, something for the Knights to watch for.
Bristol have scored 28 tries to the Knights’ 12, just over 60% of these have been by backs. 40% and 32% reflectively have been scored in the second and fourth quarters, with a mere 10% and 18% scored after the KO of each half.
A plus for the Knights is that Bristol have conceded 70% of their leaked tries at Ashton Gate as opposed to away and their tries conceded stats are similar to their try scoring stats which indicates that they start each half tight and loosen up as the half progresses, perhaps leading to more open rugby and try’s being scored and conceded.
In the Championship XV’s victory over Canada, Bristol’s Flanker Marco Mama and Full Back Jack Tovey both touched down and the former was awarded Man of the Match.
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
Congratulations to the Knights playing trio Tomasi Palu, Jon Phelan and Tyler Hotson have all been selected and join their respective nations ahead of the year’s autumn international series. This may leave us without three of the squad plus with recent injuries to Matt Clark and Andrew Bulumakau it only leaves Bevon Armitage as our single dedicated centre. Let’s just hope our remaining dedicated second row players, Matt Challinor and Glenn Kenworthy don’t get injured but I’m sure that Griff has a plan.
Bristol remain the only unbeaten team in the Championship league and they have declared their intention of a return to the Premiership. This has been backed up by significant spending on players; the Autumn Internationals should affect their playing squad more significantly than our three players. Part of that spending is to redevelop Ashton Gate to make it a ‘stable’ for all of Bristol’s team sports. Work has started and is very evident; the targeted completion is for the 2016/17 season so the players have a significant home advantage with the buzz, excitement and anticipation around Ashton Gate. Bristol City are top of their league, Bristol rugby are top of the Championship and Bristol ladies football team are the only English team left in the Champions League and they welcome Barcelona ladies shortly. ‘Success breeds success’ and each team will feed of each other’s success.
Bristol have only not scored four tries or more in one game, they even scored four unconverted tries when they beat Worcester Warriors 23 – 19 and they have scored nearly 80 points more than the Knights over five games. The difference is less apparent in defence as we have leaked twenty more points than Bristol. The Knights have leaked two more tries than Bristol over five games and 80% of Bristol’s leaked tries were by backs, probably scored in the second and last quarters (read on).
Bristol Centre Auguy Slowik is their highest point’s scorer, with six tries. Fly Half Mathew Morgan has scored three tries in five games and Hooker Max Crumpton, Centre Ben Moses, Winger David Lemi, Utility Back Andrew Short and Hooker Ross Johnson has scored a brace of tries. Therefore Bristol’s Hooker position has scored four tries in five games, something for the Knights to watch for.
Bristol have scored 28 tries to the Knights’ 12, just over 60% of these have been by backs. 40% and 32% reflectively have been scored in the second and fourth quarters, with a mere 10% and 18% scored after the KO of each half.
A plus for the Knights is that Bristol have conceded 70% of their leaked tries at Ashton Gate as opposed to away and their tries conceded stats are similar to their try scoring stats which indicates that they start each half tight and loosen up as the half progresses, perhaps leading to more open rugby and try’s being scored and conceded.
In the Championship XV’s victory over Canada, Bristol’s Flanker Marco Mama and Full Back Jack Tovey both touched down and the former was awarded Man of the Match.
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
