Shoguns face tough examination in Montferrand

Doubtful with injury
By Duncan Wood
January 8 2003

After the excellent performance against Sale, Bristol turned Jekyll and Hyde and disappointed against Harlequins. They'll need a big performance against Montferrand on French soil to keep Heineken hopes alive.

With all the adverse publicity that the Bristol Shoguns have received in recent weeks, the forthcoming game against Montferrand assumes even greater significance.

The club's Heineken Cup hopes are hanging by a thread. The defeat away at Swansea was disappointing and potentially crucial. The team could have and should have won that game and it means that even two wins from the last two games may not be enough.

Bristol are vying now for one of the runner up slots and 4 wins out of 6 may not be sufficient. We currently have 2 wins (Montferrand and Swansea at home) and Montferrand (away) and Leinester (home) will both be very tough games.

Bristol will take heart from the fact that they defeated Montferrand at the Memorial Stadium. That victory was based on defence and commitment of almost epic proportions and also the inability of the French to finish off some of the openings they created.

The Vulcans will be a very different proposition on their own soilas French teams always, backed by a vociferous crowd and doubtless looking for revenge after last time.

Bristol will need a display of similar proportions to last time and they'll probably also need a little bit of luck. Only if victory is clinched against Mintferrand is it worth worrying about the Leinster game.

Having crashed out of the Powergen Cup, the Heineken Cup is our last diversion from Premiership matters.

Come on Bris!