GK IPA Championship play-offs preview – part 1

 

Bristol
Regular season
With a strong squad at his disposal Andy Robinson has simply put the accent on piling up the points and developing skills and a game-plan for the future. The result has been an avalanche of tries and bonus points but rather more points conceded than you would expect from a table-topping team. Bristol have frequently spurned easy penalty goal attempts in the pursuit of tries and their modus operandi has also been based firmly on blitzing their opponents in the first 20 minutes and putting the match beyond doubt. That approach has worked well in recent months but hasn’t been foolproof. An erratic but occasionally inspired Cornish Pirates team completed the double over Bristol, London Welsh claimed a convincing 22-7 win over the Bristolians at the Kassam and Leeds Carnegie were good value for a 28-22 win at the Memorial Stadium in November. Mindful of under-performing in previous play-offs, however, Bristol have been determined to time their run properly and produce their best rugby of the season when it most counts. Now!
STRENGTHS
Excellent setpiece, strong direct backs, high tempo continuity play. When Bristol are good they are very good indeed.
WEAKNESSES
Bristol’s attacking approach has seen them leak a considerable number of points. Generally it hasn’t mattered when their attack are scoring tries for fun but if for any reason their offence misfires or they come up against an heroic defensive effort Bristol could wobble.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tight forwards Jason Hobson, Gaston Cortes, Kyle Traynor and Mark Sorenson provide a hard core to the pack, Scotland flanker Ross Rennie has been back to his best. Behind the scrum New Zealand Sevens representative Ruki Tipuna is a live-wire at scrum-half and contests that spot with James Grindal, former Wales fly-half Nicky Robinson’s game management is still top rate, centre Ben Mosses has grown in stature and full-back Jack Wallace and wing George Watkins provide a cutting edge.
PREDICTION
Champions and promotion but not without alarms.
PREMIERSHIP POTENTIAL
Nobody has yet properly tapped into Bristol’s vast potential in the professional era but the ground is fine, the finance seems to be in place courtesy of Steve Lansdown and high quality reinforcements have been signed up such as Ryan Jones and Dwayne Peel with other big names reportedly in the pipeline.
London Welsh

Regular season
London Welsh, at their best are a considerable team and will take strength from regular season doubles over fellow play-off contenders Rotherham Titans and Leeds Carnegie. They also beat Bristol 22-7 at home and their only defeat against one of the top four teams came earlier this month when they went down 25-21 at Bristol where they came under heavy pressure in the first hour before hitting back with three late tries. Whether that was Bristol easing up or London Welsh showing greater fitness the next month will tell. There is no doubt that the Exiles’ conditioning is top rate and that work rate has contributed to the meanest defence in the league in terms of points and tries conceded. Where London Welsh are hard to fathom is their unpredictability, this team has the ability to lose the most unexpected matches. They will have been disappointed at defeats at Bedford and London Scottish and in particular an unexpected 31-15 reverse at Plymouth Albion.
STRENGTHS
Very fit, very strong in defence and have the ability to raise their levels against the best opponents. Know exactly how to play the play-offs game, having come through so strongly just two years ago.
WEAKNESSES
Prone to inexplicable bad days at the office and with a stream-lined squad Welsh could do with not picking up too many injuries.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Loads of pace, talent and experience in the backs ranging from former Newcastle, Toulon and England centre Tom May, powerful wing Joe Ajuwa, Seb Stegmann who has Premiership experience with Quins, Hudson Tonga’uiha and goal-kicker Alex Davies. Plenty of grunt up front with Daniel Browne, Richard Thorpe and John Quill from the USA.
PREDICTION
If they get ‘hot’ Bristol’s most dangerous opponents. Can reach another level when the need arises and the sort of club and team that becomes galvanised if they get on a roll.
PREMIERSHIP POTENTIAL
No distractions about the ground this time and marginally more time to strengthen the squad although, in truth, that almost needs to be done before the play-offs. Welsh have the experience of their recent Premiership season to fall back on but their squad lacks depth and they will need to make a significant number of signings.