EXILES TOPPLED AS BRISTOL CLAIM TOP

Bristol came out on top in the clash of first versus second and in doing so ensured top spot in the league and the choice of home or away in the play-offs. It was a great game with Bristol showing their strengths and weaknesses but doing just enough to hold off the challenge of London Welsh who hadn't lost to any of the other top-four.

It was a lovely evening for the final league game of rugby at the Memorial Ground and both sides put on an enthralling show for the occasion.  Bristol started at tremendous pace and slick passing gave the TMO an opportunity to consider things after just a couple of minutes.  Frankly no one around me thought the ball had been even close to the line and he concurred and the game restarted with a penalty to Welsh for a double movement.  However, the penalty failed to reach touch and Bristol were back on the attack.

The first half truly lived up to its billing as the best attack versus the best defence as Bristol tried at every opportunity to play at high tempo and the visitors determined to stop Bristol in their tracks.  Bristol continued the policy of eschewing penalty kicks at goal, but three kicks at the line saw the hosts gain no reward.  The thought occurred that this was exactly what happened at Oxford with Bristol unable to work a way through a well marshalled defence and perhaps regretting turning down nine points.

Indeed the half was drawing to its close with no score from either side when Bristol’s near monopoly of possession received its due.  Bristol pressed close to the Welsh line only to be halted once again before the ball went out to Ben Mosses who whipped out a superb pass to George Watkins who darted over for an unconverted try.  From my angle the pass looked distinctly forward.  Many muttered the same under their breaths.  The referee felt no need to refer the decision. I immediately checked the recording when I got home, and it was dead flat.  Well, what do you know, the officials were right!  So a great half of rugby ended with Bristol five points to the good.

Welsh looked to narrow the gap soon after the start of the second period but Davies long-range penalty effort was well short of the posts.  A long break for a serious looking injury to L’Estrange might have portended a some lethargic play before the teams got back into their stride.  No the case at all as Bristol continued their high speed approach.  Jack Tovey got things going before captain Mark Sorenson showed lovely passing skills to free Mitch Eadie who scored out in the right hand corner.  Nicky Robinson was unable to convert from the tricky angle.

Bristol looked utterly determined to continue in the same vein and went close again after a quickly taken tapped penalty only for a knock-on to end the move.  No matter, the increasingly dominant Bristol pack destroyed the opposition at the scrum and Luke Baldwin and Robinson reacted quickly to create the space for Mosses to ghost through the defence.  Robinson had a much easier conversion and obliged to take Bristol to a 17 – 0 lead.

The try scoring bonus point came up in short order when another incisive attack showed forwards and backs interacting well and culminating in Mosses demonstrating a physical side to his game and smashing over for an unconverted try.

Bristol looked to be tiring somewhat (for example Baldwin, walking back to pick up the ball, had to have two goes at it as he kicked the ball away when bending down – the act of a tired player) and Welsh started to come back into the game.  First Cook was able to sneak over as Welsh were hammering away at the Bristol line.  There was absolutely no reaction from the crowd at this point, not man Welsh supporters in that area and many others nattering away with the game seemingly won.  Also the fact it looked well short of the line in much the same ways as Eadie’s earlier effort in virtually the same spot.  This time the referee decided not to consult the TMO.

The impressive Ajuwa finished off a great break from Stegmann to take the score to 22 – 14.  At which point replacement Jason Hobson became the centre of some off the ball action.  I couldn’t see exactly what was going on as a an exchange of views took place, but the Dark Side crowd were pretty vocal in their disapproval.  The officials finally agreed and the decision was a straight red card for Thorpe.  Amazingly Bristol kicked the points!

Welsh didn’t give up and Ajuwa showed he is a balanced runner and not a simple power merchant by scoring an excellent try out right.  The conversion made the final score 25 – 21 and Welsh had earned a deserved losing bonus point.  Just as Bristol deserved the win and an unassailable lead at the top of the table.

Now for the small matter of the play-offs.