Fixtures and injuries test Bristol to limit

Back problem
By Duncan Wood
May 1 2002

It's hardly a gentle way to end the season - Leicester, Northampton and Saracens all in the space of a week! What's more, Bristol probably have more players injured than at any other point this season.

Bristol now prepare to enter a gruelling last week to the season with 3 games in a week. This with a beaten up squad that is almost being held together with Keith James' best medical tape.

The farcical nature of the fixture calendar is now well and truly exposed. Having barely seen their team at home in recent months (one home game in January, February, March and April), your average punter is now expected to put his hand in his pocket for two home games in 4 days!

To make matters worse, not very team is in the same boat. Bristol will face Saracens on the last day of the season having played Northampton a few days beforehand. Saracens will have had the luxury of a full week off. Life's not fair!

Bristol don't even enter this final stretch of the season with the luxury of a full squad to call upon. If any more injuries are picked up in the final few games, then Dean Ryan may well have to lace up his boots to help out!

Definitely missing will be what could have potentially been a first choice back row in Adam Vander, Matt Salter and Ross Beattie. Barring a medical miracle, Beattie will now have missed the entire season.

Another forward who will miss the rest of the season is Paul Johnstone whilst Garath Archer's back problem has flared up again and he's struggling. Even if he's fit for the Leicester game, the strain of 3 games in a week may well be too much.

Better news in the backs where it's only Shane Drahm who is a definite absentee although it means that we'll have to wrap Felipe Contepomi in cotton wool. Jason Little is hopeful of a return as is Jamie Williams and Andrew Higgins should be over his flu.

Good luck to the whole squad, it's going to be a tough few days. And well done to the physio team for working overtime in recent weeks.