Preview of Heineken Cup clash with Swansea

Man in form
By Duncan Wood
December 5 2002

Bristol travel to Swansea on Saturday to continue their Heineken Cup campaign. Brendon Daniel is in top form with a hat trick last week and 7 tries so far this season. However, Swansea do have their own danger men.

It's fair to say that Swansea's European Cup campaign hasn't exactly gone to plan so far with a 47-12 defeat away at Montferrand and a 51-10 home defeat by Leinster.

So, they're the only team in the group without a win but that will probably make them all the more determined to get a result against Bristol.

They've not actually played a competitive match since October 29th when they went down 16-13 at Ebbw Vale. Since that point, they've been restricted to friendlies as the Welsh league virtually shut down during the Autumn international series.

Swansea have had some injury concerns but Lions Mark Taylor and Scott Gibbs are both hoping to make comebacks on Saturday after knee injuries. Full back Kevin Morgan won't return however.

Their pack is full of Welsh internationals in the shape of Colin Charvis, Ben Evans, Garin Jenkins and Darren Morris. They've also got two international half backs in Australian international, Sam Cordingley, and former Bristol favourite, Arwel Thomas. Curiously, Arwel isn't selected, however.

Bristol's injury crisis of a few weeks back is clearing up although Neil McCarthy is out long term and Mike Lipman is back in Australia. Andrew Sheridan is still a couple of weeks away and Julian White sits out his final game before his suspension comes to an end.

Garath Archer may also miss out as his availabilty depends on the result of his appeal against the yellow card he received against Bath. The hearing is due tonight.

Bristol come into the game on the back of two tremendous away wins (Bath and Newcastle) and have begun to move up the Zurich Premiership table. Confidence is high and they'll be looking to maintain their current run of form.

They will probably look to establish a platform up front before looking to unleash a set of backs who are looking more and more dangerous each week. Brendon Daniel grabbed the headlines last week with his hat trick but Phil Christophers should be ignored at your peril and Daryl Gibson and Andrew Higgins are looking to be a class centre partnership.

It's a tough game but I reckon Bristol have the winning of this one.

The Swansea team has been named as follows:

1. Darren Morris (c) 2. Christian Balshen 3. Ben Evans 4. John Slade 5. Andrew Farley 6. and 7. Two from Colin Charvis, Tu Tamarua, Rory Jenkins, Dean Thomas 8. James Bater

9. Sam Cordingley 10. Gavin Henson 11. Richard Rees 12. Scott Gibbs 13. Mark Taylor 14. Matthew Robinson 15. Shaun Payne