Shoguns snatch defeat from jaws of victory

19 point haul
By Duncan Wood
December 8 2002

With 15 minutes to go, Bristol were in control. Then a kickable penalty was spurned, Ross Beattie was ludicrously sinbinned and the whole thing turned around. I still can't believe that we lost this one.

Bristol got off to the worst possible start by conceding a score without even touching the ball!

Gavin Henson's kickoff came back on the Swansea side. Colin Charvis took the ball on and Henson dropped the goal. 3-3 to the All Whites.

Bristol had an immediate chance to repsond when they won a penalty wide out on the right. Felipe Contepomi's kick was well struck but shaved the wrong side of the post. Worse still for Bristol was that Andrew Higgins took a heavy blow to the head/ neck in the build up and needed lengthy treatment.

Henson then extended the Swansea lead with a penalty as Bristol struggled to get into the game and were guilty of over complicating things when they did have possession.

Bristol almost struck back when a Swansea move broke down and Daryl Gibson hacked ahead. The Kiwi reached the ball first and kicked into the Swansea 22. He was overhauled by Brendon Daniel who reached the bobbling ball a few yards short of the line but, as he tried to dribble the ball into the in goal area, he kicked the ball agonisingly dead.

Agustin Pichot almost scored in a similar fashion when he broke from his own half and kicked ahead. He kicked on into the in goal area but was beaten to the touchdown by the covering Swansea winger.

However, Felipe Contepomi levelled the scores with two well struck penalties head on to the posts but Henson eased Swansea back in front on 24 minutes with a kick of his own.

On 29 minutes Bristol lost Darren Crompton to the sin bin for not retreating 10 metres at a tap penalty although it appeared that the Swansea winger, Rees, ran straight into him.

Bristol coped well with 14 men and, when DC returned, Felipe levelled the scores. Bristol finished the half on the up and were deep in the Swansea 22 when the ref blew for half time.

Bristol now had a slight breeze at their backs and Shane Drahm used it beautifully. Time and time again, he drilled the ball deep into the Swansea 22.

The Shoguns camped deep in the Swansea half for virtually all the first 15 minutes of the second period. The Swansea defence was magnificent but Felipe Contepomi inspired a score.

He made a half break on the Swansea 22 and stood up in the tackle. Forwards and backs alike piled in and drove the maul on and on until they went over the Swansea line with Felipe at the bottom of the pile. He converted his own try to make it 9-16.

Bristol were completely on top and looking dangerous. A pivotal moment came when the Shoguns were awarded a kickable penalty near the Swansea line. Acting skipper Daryl Gibson opted for a scrum but Phil Christophers knocked on near the posts. Swansea broke away to clear their lines and the momentum had shifted.

Shortly afterwards, Bristol were attacking deep in the Swansea 22 when Ross Beattie was isolated. The decision to award a penalty for holding on was correct but to award a yellow card was ludicrous.

Swansea took full advantage and swifty broke down the left. The ballw as recyled quickly and moved right to Colin Charvis who galloped under the posts from the 22. Arwel Thomas levelled matters with the conversion.

Bristol struck back immediately with another Felipe penalty to make it 16-19 but the Shoguns turned over a crucial piece of possession on halfway. Swansea went left and then right and Matthew Robinson sprinted into the corner. Arwel Thomas converted from wide out and then twidted the knife by adding another penalty from halfway. 26-19 to Swansea.

Bristol threw everything at Swansea in the last few minutes but were let down by their own over eagerness, knocking the ball on in an attempt to keep it alive.

I still can't quite believe that we lost this. We looked in control with 15 minutes to go. Had we taken the penalty we'd have been 10 points up and I couldn't see Swansea coming back from that. That decision and the sinbinning were crucial.

The lineout was great and we had the upper edge in the scrum. Pichot and Contepomi were excellent at half back and Shane Drahm had a great game at fullback. We did seem to lose out at the breakdown and lost some crucial ball on the floor and I think we overcomplicated things in the backs.

We could have won this and we should have won this. We wasted chances and didn't take advantage of possession and territory. The sinbinnings were harsh and crucial. Are Italian refs really up to the job?

Swansea may well feel the backlash next week.