Post by Jamie Crawford on Apr 11, 2018 13:08:03 GMT
Fri 13th Apr, 2018 - 07:45pm
After the best performance by the Knights this season when they overcame second-placed Ealing Trailfinders 50-19, we now face league-leaders Bristol. By the Knights beating the Trailfinders last Saturday, Bristol have already gained promotion to the Premiership, so they don’t need to beat the Knights but there is no way that they will ease off, they want to play to the best of their ability in preparation for next season
“What a weekend it has been for Bristol Rugby - on Friday they scored eight tries to beat Nottingham 17-60, and on Saturday they were officially promoted in the Aviva Premiership.”
“…Bristol scored tries through Luke Morahan (2), Jordan Crane, Jason Harris-Wright, Alapati Leiua, Nick Fenton-Wells (2), and Tusi Pisi. Ian Madigan was perfect with the boot while on the field scoring 14 points, with Billy Searle added six points.”
“…Bristol Rugby writer John Evely takes a look at who the stand out performers were for Bristol in what proved to be a key victory in their promotion campaign.
“Luke Morahan. Another pair of tries for the Australian winger to extend his lead as the club’s top try scorer this season in the Championship, with 13 so far.
Much has been made of the number of internationals in the Bristol team, and rightly so, but many of them are from Tier Two rugby nations, but Morahan is firmly a Tier One international having turned out for Australia three times, playing Scotland, England and France - with his most recent caps coming in 2016…
“,,Sam Jeffries The flanker, who can also play in the second row, has been billed as an international of the future by head coach Pat Lam, who is not one to over hype individuals.
Once again he was highly prominent for Bristol in the win over Nottingham, taking up a lot of the carrying, link man work, with the likes of Dan Thomas and Steven Luatua out injured…”
“…Ian Madigan The man doesn’t miss. With all thoughts about the Aviva Premiership now, a world class goal kicker will be vital to Bristol staying up and being competitive.
With Madigan at fly half Bristol will arguably have the best of the bunch…” (leading point's scorer and home strike rate of 90)
“…Billy Searle The young fly-half is off at the end of the season, with Aviva Premiership side Wasps his expected new club.
On this form there will plenty who are sad to see him go…”
“…Soane Tonga’uiha Considering what he has already achieved in the game Soane Tonga’uiha has not shone enough this season as Bristol’s scrum has struggled to compete.
With that in mind wholesale changes are being made in the frontrow ahead of next season with the 36-year-old Tongan international expected to leave…”
“…Jordan Crane The captain was named man of the match after a try scoring display.
With 13 seasons under his belt already it is easy to see why Crane has been made skipper by Pat Lam, there are few in the squad who have more experience at Aviva Premiership level than the former Leicester Tigers and England man. He is not the most explosive number eight, and he might not even get into Bristol’s first choice back row when everyone is fully fit, with the likes of Dan Thomas and Steven Luatua to come back in, but he has a wonderful workrate and attitude. ”
(Bristol Post 08/04/18)
Only the Jersey Reds have beaten Bristol in the Championship this season so far, 34-38 on 4th March, so Bristol have only been beaten by four points all season in the league, it’s time for the Knights to rectify that. They have scored 300 more points and conceded 137 fewer points than the Knights over 20 games. That’s an aggregate points score of 22/game in Bristol’s favour.
Bristol have scored 34 more tries and conceded 11 fewer than the Knights, I could go on but why be negative!
The only positives I could find were that Knight’s Centres and Half-Backs have scored more tries than Bristol’s, Bristol have conceded a couple more ties by Wingers and the Second Row than the Knights and the Knights haven’t conceded a penalty try (the only team to do so) whereas Bristol have conceded three. Doncaster have only received two yellow cards but Bristol’s Nicky Thomas (Tighthead Prop was on loan from Scarlets) and Christopher Vui (Lock) have both received a couple each. Bristol’s Max Crupton (Hooker) and James Lay (Loosehead Prop on loan from Bay of Plenty, NZ) have each also received one.
As I mentioned in the home preview last December, Bristol are undoubtedly favourites to win this encounter and with their resources it’s a David v Goliath situation BUT Griff works wonders with the budget he’s given and Bristol will have that doubt in their minds because the Knights have beaten them a few times already in the Cup. Bristol beat the Knights 18-38 but we demolished Ealing Trailfinders last Saturday so that nagging doubt should remain with Bristol about how easy it will be to record a win even with their vastly more experienced and expensive team.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
After the best performance by the Knights this season when they overcame second-placed Ealing Trailfinders 50-19, we now face league-leaders Bristol. By the Knights beating the Trailfinders last Saturday, Bristol have already gained promotion to the Premiership, so they don’t need to beat the Knights but there is no way that they will ease off, they want to play to the best of their ability in preparation for next season
“What a weekend it has been for Bristol Rugby - on Friday they scored eight tries to beat Nottingham 17-60, and on Saturday they were officially promoted in the Aviva Premiership.”
“…Bristol scored tries through Luke Morahan (2), Jordan Crane, Jason Harris-Wright, Alapati Leiua, Nick Fenton-Wells (2), and Tusi Pisi. Ian Madigan was perfect with the boot while on the field scoring 14 points, with Billy Searle added six points.”
“…Bristol Rugby writer John Evely takes a look at who the stand out performers were for Bristol in what proved to be a key victory in their promotion campaign.
“Luke Morahan. Another pair of tries for the Australian winger to extend his lead as the club’s top try scorer this season in the Championship, with 13 so far.
Much has been made of the number of internationals in the Bristol team, and rightly so, but many of them are from Tier Two rugby nations, but Morahan is firmly a Tier One international having turned out for Australia three times, playing Scotland, England and France - with his most recent caps coming in 2016…
“,,Sam Jeffries The flanker, who can also play in the second row, has been billed as an international of the future by head coach Pat Lam, who is not one to over hype individuals.
Once again he was highly prominent for Bristol in the win over Nottingham, taking up a lot of the carrying, link man work, with the likes of Dan Thomas and Steven Luatua out injured…”
“…Ian Madigan The man doesn’t miss. With all thoughts about the Aviva Premiership now, a world class goal kicker will be vital to Bristol staying up and being competitive.
With Madigan at fly half Bristol will arguably have the best of the bunch…” (leading point's scorer and home strike rate of 90)
“…Billy Searle The young fly-half is off at the end of the season, with Aviva Premiership side Wasps his expected new club.
On this form there will plenty who are sad to see him go…”
“…Soane Tonga’uiha Considering what he has already achieved in the game Soane Tonga’uiha has not shone enough this season as Bristol’s scrum has struggled to compete.
With that in mind wholesale changes are being made in the frontrow ahead of next season with the 36-year-old Tongan international expected to leave…”
“…Jordan Crane The captain was named man of the match after a try scoring display.
With 13 seasons under his belt already it is easy to see why Crane has been made skipper by Pat Lam, there are few in the squad who have more experience at Aviva Premiership level than the former Leicester Tigers and England man. He is not the most explosive number eight, and he might not even get into Bristol’s first choice back row when everyone is fully fit, with the likes of Dan Thomas and Steven Luatua to come back in, but he has a wonderful workrate and attitude. ”
(Bristol Post 08/04/18)
Only the Jersey Reds have beaten Bristol in the Championship this season so far, 34-38 on 4th March, so Bristol have only been beaten by four points all season in the league, it’s time for the Knights to rectify that. They have scored 300 more points and conceded 137 fewer points than the Knights over 20 games. That’s an aggregate points score of 22/game in Bristol’s favour.
Bristol have scored 34 more tries and conceded 11 fewer than the Knights, I could go on but why be negative!
The only positives I could find were that Knight’s Centres and Half-Backs have scored more tries than Bristol’s, Bristol have conceded a couple more ties by Wingers and the Second Row than the Knights and the Knights haven’t conceded a penalty try (the only team to do so) whereas Bristol have conceded three. Doncaster have only received two yellow cards but Bristol’s Nicky Thomas (Tighthead Prop was on loan from Scarlets) and Christopher Vui (Lock) have both received a couple each. Bristol’s Max Crupton (Hooker) and James Lay (Loosehead Prop on loan from Bay of Plenty, NZ) have each also received one.
As I mentioned in the home preview last December, Bristol are undoubtedly favourites to win this encounter and with their resources it’s a David v Goliath situation BUT Griff works wonders with the budget he’s given and Bristol will have that doubt in their minds because the Knights have beaten them a few times already in the Cup. Bristol beat the Knights 18-38 but we demolished Ealing Trailfinders last Saturday so that nagging doubt should remain with Bristol about how easy it will be to record a win even with their vastly more experienced and expensive team.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
