I saw Pats interview and he really has a vision as to what he wants to achieve in developing a ‘Bristol Rugby’ culture. If players don’t fit that profile they won’t be here. I like what he’s trying to achieve very much and I’m not here to talk bad of him. We now (in comparison to the previous management) seem to have a plan and some direction. The style of play he wants to achieve seems to be similar to what he did at Connacht in the PRO12/14.

For me that style of play is fine if you’re in a league where there is no relegation, if you finish bottom you can regroup and try again next year. The Prem is a much more attritional league. If we are promoted at the end of the season we are likely to be (unless something miraculous happens) in the bottom third of that league if not the bottom 2 as we adjust to the higher standard. Down at the bottom of the league teams are not as adventurous and it can become a bit of a dogfight in the forwards. I know we have forwards coming but my concern is about where the coaches have come from. There is very little Prem coaching experience. If you believe the rumours Mark Bakewell is off and that leaves (as far as I’m aware) only Jonathon Thomas with Prem experience.
I think we need to find 1 or 2 top class coaches with Prem experience because it is a very different league to the PRO12/14.

Again, I’m not talking bad of Pat but I think we are missing a trick here – your thoughts?

I think you make some very valid points. We certainly need to make more of our better players in the Prem than we have managed so far in the Champ. We will face much tougher opposition in every match than we did today.

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Graham

C'mon Bris,



Stand out in a crowd, wear the Hoops!

Justin Burnell would be a great choice. He did a great job with the London Welsh forwards...they steamrollered us as well. We need a hard nosed no nonsense coach who doesn't have to be a big name. Also buying in big name stars is not always the answer. If Bedford,Ealing, and other teams can destroy us in the scrums with ordinary well coached players money don't mean a lot.

I think we need to aim higher than Burnell. To be fair Bakewell has a far better CV and references. Its clear we need a coach with scrum/tight 5 expertise to work some intensive magic, even if we keep Bakewell.

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Graham

C'mon Bris,



Stand out in a crowd, wear the Hoops!

"I think we need to aim higher than Burnell. To be fair Bakewell has a far better CV and references". Yes and hasn't he done well...not. For all his references and cv plus all our money our forwards have under performed and have been shown up by many teams who are far better forward coached than us. Bakewell was supposed to have been the coaching messiah when he arrived...things have improved slightly but not to the extent of his reputation.

On the evidence of this season, Alex Codling is clearly a good forwards coach.

I think we may not be being fair. In my view the major problem has been the scrum. That, to me is pretty much down to the props we have. I don’t know why gaston didn’t start last night but the scrum would have been solid.

Part of the problem with our front 5 is the way P L wants to play the game. Hard running props and second rows who can run and pass like centres and scrummage are not readily available!. And you can't make silk purses out ot pigs ears. If we had players like James Phillips and Mark Sorenson in the engine room we wouldn't be shunted backwards. But they don't fit Lams style
Something will have to change next season, and I'm sure P. L is well aware of the situation
and it all planned and under control Rome wasn't built in a day

Albertfromia...I agree. If PL's style requires light weight athletic second rowers that's fine...but having a light weight pack we will get murdered in the Prem. You need a balanced pack.