Bristol U21s face Wasps in Championship final
Paul Hull
By Duncan Wood
June 6 2002
Having clinched their 3rd consecutive league title and overcoming Sale last weekend, Paul Hull's Bristol U21s are now rewarded with a Championship Final against Wasps at Twickenham. The 12:30 kickoff is a curtain raiser for the main event.
Although the Bristol vs Gloucester game is obviously the showpiece of the day, the U21 Championship final is also something for Bristol Shoguns' supporters to look forward to.
Paul Hull's Bristol U21 side, who have just clinched a 3rd consecutive league title, will face the London Wasps U21 outfit in what promises to be a superb clash. The two teams have already fought out two very close matches this season and Saturday's will be difficult to call.
The most recent meeting finished 18 all in February with Wasps kicking a last minute penalty to level the scores. The earlier meeting this season finished in a win for Bristol, 23-20 at Wasps with a last minute Adam Staniforth drop goal clinching it. The Shoguns U21s were inconvenienced by a nightmare coach ride to get to the game in the first place.
So, with only 3 points separating the two sides over two meetings, it promises to be a very tight affair.
I chatted very informally with Richard Skuse and Paul Hodgson earlier this week and both are understandably looking forward to the occasion although they appreciate that it's going to be a very tough game.
It'll be a slightly unusual situation for Paul as he was actually a member of the Wasps setup until Paul Hull persuaded him to play for the Shoguns Academy. Coming up against his old team mates means that he will probably get quite a warm reception!
Paul, along with Chris Morgan and Alex Cadwallader, will be flying out to South Africa straight after the final to link up with the England U21 squad for the SANZAR World Cup tournament. Andrew Higgins was also selected but pulled out due to injury.
It'll be a slightly poignant occasion as this will be the last time the U21s play together as a team. It goes without saying that a number of them will no longer be eligible next season and not all of them will be retained by the club. It's a shame but it's a fact of life.
So, Bristol supporters, try and get there a little bit early and cheer the U21s onto victory on what will be a very big day for them.