In
the first match at St Peter, Bristol blew the home side away with a quite
stunning start, three tries in the first 15 minutes gave Jersey a deficit they
were never to recover. Jersey has not been the only side to suffer against the former
Premiership side this term, but according to Head Coach Andy Robinson, they are
still very much a work in progress. ‘Throughout the season, we’ve created
plenty of opportunities, as shown in our tally of bonus points’ he said, ‘but
we’ve also let chances slip by, so it’s a case of looking at how we can convert
those on a more regular basis.’ He continued, ‘against Jersey earlier in the
season, we started strongly and managed to get some points on the board
quickly. That gave us a platform to build from and despite a really spirited
comeback from the home side we held on to secure a valuable win.’
The
season’s goal for Robinson and Bristol is no secret. Newcastle was too strong
last season, but they really believe that this can be their year to rejoin the
elite in the Aviva Premiership. ‘Ultimately, our ambition is to peak at the
right time’ said Robinson. He continued, ‘we need to ensure that we are playing
to our potential as the business end of the season approaches, so that we can
secure a place in the play-offs and then push on from there. We’re looking to improve
and learn all the time, we’re not the finished article yet but I’m confident in
my group of players that we will continue to work hard.’
Handily
placed just a handful of points behind London Welsh with a game in hand,
Bristol is still expected to finish in the play-off spots despite the competitiveness
of their league opponents. ‘The Championship gets stronger than ever,’ Robinson
said, ‘so it’s no surprise to see sides like Rotherham and London Scottish
doing so well this season. Every team can beat each other and that’s what makes
it such an exciting league and so toughly contested.’
For
sides like Bristol, promotion has been the aim all season, although the former
England Head Coach recognises that it has been far from easy, even against the
so-called lesser teams. It’s imperative that we remain focused on our ambitions’
he said. ‘We need to play to our full potential every time we take the field,
because if we drop off our game, we will get punished. Bristol has absolute
respect for every opposition team, and we prepare for every game the same way,
irrespective of who we are up against.’
Jersey
came back strongly in the second half of the game earlier this season, and the
West Country side is under no illusions what they will be facing on game day. ‘Jersey
showed what they were capable of in our last meeting’ said Robinson, ‘they were
well-organised, physical and caused us problems. We’re under no illusions about
the task ahead and we’re looking forward to the challenge on Sunday.’
A
new coach at the helm usually brings an upturn in fortunes and Robinson
believes the former Cornish Pirate’s number two will have the same effect on
Jersey. ‘Harvey (Biljon) has come in and he’ll bring new ideas and impetus –
he’s a good coach and somebody who knows the league well, so I’m sure that his
input will be beneficial to Jersey and will help the club move forward.’
Whatever the outcome, a big crowd is expected, and the Islanders are hopeful of
a better outcome than last time out.
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