BRISTOL ERRORS GIFT WELSH VICTORY

Pile up
By Ian Todd
November 11 2013

Bristol stumbled to a tame defeat against a well-organised but far from inspired London Welsh. The hosts were gifted 14 points in the first half from Bristol errors and the visiting side were never able to make up the ground. The bold decision not to kick for points proved incorrect with the lineout malfunctioning for much of the afternoon. That may be the plan, but there were players on the field with enough experience to play what was going on around them rather than stick with something that clearly wasn’t working. The officiating at the scrum and breakdown was far from helpful, but again there were players with a lot of experience at the top of the domestic game out there who should have adapted to the situation in better fashion than the numerous travelling supporters witnessed

The Kassam experience was spoiled by a shambles outside the ground, with poor stewarding (one was asked directions, didn’t know the ground and said he hadn’t even seen a ground plan! Which I would guess breaks the ground’s safety licence). There was an immense and poorly controlled queue for tickets (and that was despite being there 3/4 hour before kick-off) and then another queue to get in. Rules on taking drinks into the ground were applied haphazardly. All this with a bumper crowd of 1800. We were told that previous ticketing issues were down to a computer problem, clearly it hasn’t been solved, or there are other issues. Inside, the stand in the sun is closed, probably to give the corporate boxes the benefit of what atmosphere a two-thirds empty stadium can provide.

As for the match … Welsh kicked off the game and applied some early pressure, a kick down into the left corner resulted in a poor Bristol lineout (something of a theme) then a Bristol put in at the scrum. It was a shocking performance with the hooker’s foot waving around in the air without any effort to strike at the ball. The Welsh shove before the ball was in didn’t help (another theme of the afternoon). The ball popped out on the Welsh side and Davies took full advantage of a surprised Bristol defence to score by the posts. Bristol looked stunned and really should have conceded almost from the restart when a fine Welsh break looked destined to score only for Ross to doubt his own pace and some wholly unnecessary passing resulted in a tame knock-on.

Bristol took stock and tried to hit back. Welsh gave away a penalty at the breakdown (yet another theme was the officiating, or lack thereof, at the breakdown) and the kick was rightly sent to touch. The lineout was once again woeful. Another penalty went Bristol’s way at the breakdown (can you see a pattern emerging here?) and Ruki Tipuna took a quick tap. The defence was clearly not ten metres back, but Bristol maintained pressure without making any real progress. Yet another breakdown penalty to Bristol and Nicky Robinson made an excellent touch finder, only for the lineout throw to way off the straight and narrow.

Welsh continued to be penalised and finally one was awarded in an eminently kickable spot. This is not written with the benefit of hindsight, my notes say “not at the posts??” Indeed not, Bristol persisted with eschewing the chance of penalty points and again went for touch. My pessimism was unfounded and this lineout was good. The drive went in and Ross Johnston scored the converted try that equalised the score.

Bristol looked to capitalise on a poor, overthrown, Welsh lineout. They attacked patiently, keeping possession but play went from side to side without a gap being found. Eventually the move fizzled out with the ball being forced into touch. Surprisingly Bristol claimed the lineout but Tipuna’s rather limp pass was intercepted (I didn’t have an angle on this, but Ross was up awfully quick for someone who wasn’t offside) and Stedman sprinted clear to set up a 14 – 7 lead.

Once again Bristol had to try to hit back after gifting the opposition points. Yet another penalty for a breakdown offence was kicked to touch. The lineout looked to be back on track, but once again Bristol simply shifted the ball from one side of the pitch to the other and then back again without making any forwards progress. Except by throwing the ball forward, which they promptly did. And that was about it for the first half.

As usual I decided to remain where I was, confident that at last I’d see some play from Bristol where I could actually see it. I’ve been disappointed in that expectation recently and sure enough …

Welsh started very positively again, helped by some lethargic Bristol defence. For an instant it appeared that they would be back on the scoreboard, but the move was called back for a forward pass. Bristol did very well at the scrum and a great break from Bristol split the Welsh defence. Bristol looked certain to score but the final pass to Tipuna was sloppily knocked forward. A golden chance to get back in the game gone begging. Fortunately the referee was playing advantage. Less fortunately, the lineout from the seemingly inevitable kick to touch was once again a complete mess.

At last the referee appeared to realise that at virtually every breakdown when Bristol were on the attack he was penalising Welsh for not releasing, going offside, entering from the side or what have you. Sonny Parker was the fall-guy when the yellow card was finally flourished. Have a guess where the penalty went. Yes, that’s right. Have a guess how the lineout went. Again, you’re right. So another chance for points was lost.

Bristol were fortunate to escape when a George Watkins kick was charged down, but the defence managed to regroup. Bristol knuckled down and an excellent drive from the pack was only held out by blatant illegal play from Welsh with at least two players entering the maul at the side or quietly slipping around the outside. Or so I thought, but not the man who counted.

Bristol’s play was starting to look increasingly frantic in the face of well organised Welsh defence. The fact that Welsh continued to infringe at the breakdown didn't help (apparently after a yellow card is shown you don’t need to penalise it again even if a player crawls round the side of a ruck and puts his hands over the ball!). Instead it was Bristol who gave away a penalty at the scrum and Welsh who extended their lead with a well taken shot at the posts.

This score took Bristol out of bonus point range but replacement James Grindal looked to have touched down in the right-hand corner but the hopelessly out of position referee adjudged him to have knocked on. Grindal had his hand on top of the ball pressing down when it was on the ground, so that’s a try in my book. Yes, It did go forward after that, but that’s not relevant. Sadly not my decision to give. Perhaps the referee was too used to help from a TMO in that sort of situation? Welsh gave the score a comfortable look by cutting loose at the death with Stedman rounding a disjointed defence to score in the corner to make the final score 22 – 7.

BRISTOL ERRORS GIFT WELSH VICTORY

Posted by: bristolrugby.net (IP Logged)

Date: 11/11/2013 09:56

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:11:17:19:00:30 by SenorJuan.