Bristol bottle it

[psychic duck]

yet again ...

Easily the most expensive squad in the league and bring in the likes of Ross Rennie and Ryan Jones mid season just to make sure with Dwayne Peel and David Lemi amongst others to come, then lose comprehensively to a budget side who lost all their decent players and only international is Gordon Ross.

Bristol have a mountain to climb now, this looks like it will be the 3rd time they have topped the league and bottled it.

 

[goodNumber10]

personally i'd like to see them come up to the premiership but it's a big mountain to climb even at home.

It seems somewhat unfair to me that a club who was a country mile better than everyone else over the course of the season misses out on promotion in an ultimately flawed system.

10 months thrown away because of one bad day and I don't see anything in London Welsh that convinces me they can stay up.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

"A country mile" is a bit of an exaggeration - they won the same amount of games as Welsh (who had a points difference almost 100 better), only one more game than Leeds (who also had a points difference about 30 better) and only two more than Rotherham.
The extra bonus points obviously indicate they had the better season, but they didn't blow away every side.

 

[profitius]

I watched the game. Raining heavily throughout and that suited LW. LW had the bigger pack and smarter tactics too. Actually they should have added to their score near the end.

I'd agree that its not a very fair system. Bristol's new signings must be feeling a little sick tonight. They've also signed Jack Lam, Mathew Morgan, a few Leinster lads etc.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Will Spencer. Big Lad.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Will be interesting to see what would happen if Bristol were to lose (or not win by 19+ points) next week.
I imagine the likes of Lemi and Peel would go there regardless. Morgan probably, too. But would Lam want to play in the championship?
Perenise, too - had a great season at Bath, and is still a couple of years from a "winding down" contract.

 

[goodNumber10]

"A country mile" is a bit of an exaggeration - they won the same amount of games as Welsh (who had a points difference almost 100 better), only one more game than Leeds (who also had a points difference about 30 better) and only two more than Rotherham.
The extra bonus points obviously indicate they had the better season, but they didn't blow away every side.

yeah fair enough. I still thin it's unfair that a team works hard all season and gets little reward.

I think i said elsewhere i'd like to see two up - league winner gets promotion automatically the winner of the play off gets a knock out game against 11th placed in the premiership.

 

[Tony Manx]

yeah fair enough. I still thin it's unfair that a team works hard all season and gets little reward.

I think i said elsewhere i'd like to see two up - league winner gets promotion automatically the winner of the play off gets a knock out game against 11th placed in the premiership.

I can see where you are coming from but the system is now accepted for the play offs in both the Aviva and Top 14 with little complaint!

I am against your suggestion of two promotions as it would impact on the standard of play in the Premiership (which the one relegation place already is thought by many to do) and any such play off could only benefit the upcoming team as they would go into such a game with much more confidence from their winning most of their games that season than the premiership team who would have been losing most of their matches leading up to the play off game!

 

[goodNumber10]

You misunderstand me mate.

I have no problem with the play offs at the top level i.e Top 14 and Premiership, but when there is promotion at stake i don't think it should come down to knock out rugby it should be the best team over the duration of the year that moves to the next level - surely that's what is required not a team that managed to get one over on the day.

Of course it can work, look at Exeter, but i'm not seeing anything from welsh that convinces em they'll stay up if they do make it.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Yep... promotion shouldn't be decided by playoffs - the league winner is far more likely to be able to stay in the premiership.

 

[Tony Manx]

You misunderstand me mate.

I have no problem with the play offs at the top level i.e Top 14 and Premiership, but when there is promotion at stake i don't think it should come down to knock out rugby it should be the best team over the duration of the year that moves to the next level - surely that's what is required not a team that managed to get one over on the day.

Of course it can work, look at Exeter, but i'm not seeing anything from welsh that convinces em they'll stay up if they do make it.

I see no difference and will raise my head firmly above the parapet and say that Bristol will fight back and beat Welsh by more than the 19 points required and show that they are a worthy team to go up and STAY up in the Premiership!!!!

 

[Tony Manx]

I stick with the above but Nick Robinson really needs to start to nail the kicks.................

Edit.....Another miss from Robinson after a grand try and the deficit is increased to 20 by LW taking their kicking chances.........all over now baby blue!

 

[Patchey]

What a game. London Welsh promoted.

So, what happened to Bristol now? Blimey.

 

[LSFC C49]

Commiserations to Bristol, great effort. Well done Welsh, we should have done you three times this season instead of just the 2, but hey ho, good luck in the Prem next year.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

.....can we have Peel back?

 

[Tony Manx]

Without a doubt, the best team won and are deservedly promoted!

If anyone wants to argue that they do not have a base, that they did not win the main league then, I am sorry, you are wrong...they deserve to be there as these guys did it without any doubt on preparation, team spirit and the backbone of senior players who were very, very smart.....will they survive this time, I do not know!

They are at a huge disadvantage by being promoted and finishing their season some three/four weeks after their main competitors at the base of the APL............surely that has to be sorted out!

 

[ratsapprentice]

They will need to replace their first team players who were on loan from premiership clubs too.

Nicky Robinson though.... oh dear.

 

[Tony Manx]

They will need to replace their first team players who were on loan from premiership clubs too.

Nicky Robinson though.... oh dear.

It is his big weakness.....he played well tonight apart from his kicking which, I am afraid, cost them the game.....and mega money next season compared to what they will have to settle for!

 

[munstermuffin]

Isn't this like an annual thread. Bristol bottling it?

 

[Thingimubob]

Housemate's brother Seb got the winning try so she's been bouncing round the house in happiness ever since