Sunny Bristol

If a dazzling display of mediocrity was your idea of a Sunday afternoon’s entertainment, then the Memorial Stadium was the place to be. Desperate defending and good set piece work marked the Irish contribution, whilst Bristol had the upper hand in open play. The sun shone in Bristol, in stark contrast to how the weather was when I left home earlier.

5005 people attended, 900 more than the drawn fixture last year. Surely there wouldn’t be another draw, would there?

Without their Argentinean play makers and with Richards playing right into Irish hands, surely Bristol were there for the taking.

Right from the off, the Doc got stuck in, leaving his calling card with Phil Christophers initially, who was strangely quiet for most of the rest of the game.

In just the second minute, Irish were awarded a penalty for a high tackle on the Nurse; Barry opened his account to a chorus of booing, jeering, banging of any noisy structure and some assistance from the right upright. This was to continue throughout the game. The Stadium fell eerily silent when Drahm was kicking.

Four minutes in, we were treated to that rarest of spectacles thus far this season, wait for it, a Rossouw tackle. The Doc spun the ball to Barry who fired a long kick up field, as Best caught it, there was yer man, in his face, and decked him. Well, how we cheered, a complete surprise to all bar one of us. I was waiting for the “I told you he was class” to resound round the ground from PR’s no. 1 fan. It certainly resounded in the bar afterwards.

Bristol’s first penalty followed a lineout which Strudders nicked, passes to the Doc then Burrows who was caught by Daniel was to prove a familiar pattern throughout the game. If it wasn’t Strudders, then Nick (JFK) Kennedy was showing the old guard how it was done. “Nick wrote to me from his Uni last year asking for a trial”, said Conor O’ Shea after the game, “he comes from a basketball background so has some work to do on his physical conditioning but nobody can dispute his overall athletic ability and his rugby skills. We will have Bob back for next week, but it is good to know we have such skilled cover”.

Another feature of the game was the fact that each time the scrum engaged, Mr. Goodliffe pulled it apart to re-engage for various reasons to which we were not privy. Both teams were playing the territory game early on, get it beck to the fly half and let him punt for the line. Effective to a certain extent, but not pretty to watch. Eight minutes in, Irish won the first of about six penalties for hands on the ground infringements for which no cards were issued. Barry obliged, 0-6 accompanied by the obligatory booing and jeering.

Rossouw caught the restart ball but lost it to Daniel who won a penalty for over the top from Irish at the breakdown. A quick tap by Drahm, out to Daniel on the right wing, he stepped out, Rossouw stepped in and it wasn’t even Lanigan’s Ball! Try no. 1 for Bristol, which Drahm converted, 7-6.

From the restart, Irish won the ball through Sackey who fed Horak, the best of the Irish Backs today, who was awarded a penalty for hands again which Barry slotted despite or because of, the accompaniment, 7-9, 15 on the clock.

Has anybody ever noticed the impeccable positioning of the modern Touch Judge in the game today? We were treated to a stunning example in the 19th minute when Bristol, awarded a penalty for offside opted to punt for the line. The TJ stood 24M out from the Irish line and, lo and behold, Drahm put the ball smack bang over his head! Nothing to do but mark the ground and raise the flag. Impeccable!

The talking point of the half occurred in the 20th minute. Brendon Daniel was running through and was tackled legally by Mike Horak as he advanced on the goal line. Irish had about eight players between Daniel and the line, from the subsequent breakdown, a penalty try was awarded. Kickers like Drahm do not miss those types of conversions, 14-9. Penalty yes, perhaps, penalty try, I don’t think so. All Conor would say was that they would study the video.

Irish were on the attack from the restart with Sackey wining the ball and feeding Naka who was awarded a penalty for the Bristol player not rolling away. 25M out straight in front of the posts, no wind, no booing (much) and Barry misses. “He takes all that time and still misses”, was ringing in my ears from behind. Then we were treated to the merits of 1-day versus 5-day cricket, which was not satisfactorily resolved in my opinion.

Brendon Daniel was certainly the most prominent of the Bristol players today, being in the thick of everything Bristol did, although Drahm was awarded MOTM. Barry was my MOTM for Irish.

We were treated to a second Rossouw important tackle when the Doc tried a long missed pass which was intercepted by Christophers who was tackled by Pieter, who then offloaded to Horak, cleared to Best and the ball was finally kicked to touch 3M inside the Irish half. Two tackles in an afternoon, top value! By now the OxonRob playercam was settling on Pieter for the next 20 minutes. This was the kiss of death as, obviously aware of any type of media coverage, Pieter retreated into his shell.

Bristol had Bergamaschi carded on the half hour for coming in round the side of a ruck in front of the Bristol support in the DAS stand, they were not happy. Again the back seat driver behind me was on his “how much are Irish paying him?” routine. By then end, even he had to concede that Mr. Goodliffe was not biased, but how shall I put it, just crap. Steve S used the description from the Bridget Jones Diary, it ends in wit and begins with F. Are we backing Warren Gatland? After today, I think so.

From the penalty, Barry kicked to touch, JFK won the lineout, Barry booted to the corner. The Bristol put-in went right over the top, oh where was Kieron Dawson? I don’t care if he did score for Ireland; this was what he lives off and would have been a certain try that close to the line. Our need is greater. Instead, Sackey was turned over, the ball was cleared and Bristol won a penalty for a high tackle.

Irish added another penalty in the 42nd minute following an infringement on Rossouw as he attempted a kick & chase; he obviously knew the playercam had moved on! 14-12, 42 minutes gone. Goodliffe did his usual loads of added time routine which resulted in Nick Burrows being on the end of a Rossouw pass, he could have run, but generous to a fault, allowed his fellow South African to score under the posts. 14-19 half time and good value we were for it.

Right at the start of the second half, as the Centenary stand was refilling, Bristol were awarded a penalty for offside. Digby was being treated for a nosebleed but recovered. Drahm kicked well from 5M in our half to take the score to 17-19.

The Irish lineout was working extremely well, with either Strudders or JFK securing most of the ball, theirs and ours, getting it to Digby then either to Barry or the Doc then to Burrows who made some yards today. His best game since his return. Beefy replaced Mike Worsley in the 47th minute.

The refereeing decisions were becoming increasingly inconsistent, but even Mr. Goodliffe was smiling at the speculation of his sponsorship by Specsavers. I have news for you, Robin, the cries of cheat, cheat, cheat weren’t an attempt at humour.

Jimmy Cockle replaced Gussie on the hour. Jimmy had a pretty good game, if a little ring rusty. If the talking point of the first half was the penalty try, the talking point of the second half was the penalty try that wasn’t. Daniel skinned everybody but Barry and was bearing down on the open goal area. Barry caught him and tackled/pulled him back/he dived; take your pick, they were all offered. Either way, old Good Life had a think, listened to the baying hordes and awarded a penalty. “If it was a penalty on the goal line, I struggle to see how it wasn’t a penalty try, it was that or nothing”, said Conor. Peter Thorburn cited it as an example of the inconsistencies in refereeing, but I believe was being gracious as Bristol scored a try on the opposite side. Following his tackling efforts, Rossouw seemed to be barely able to get up (another tackle, were you watching Rob?). 24-19, the fingernails were going.

Sackey was impeded as he contested the restart, tapped a penalty and was immediately tackled, it took Goodliffe about 5 seconds to blow it, by which time the momentum had gone. Barry hit the outside of the post and the ball bounced out for Drahm to clear. Yes, I know he doesn’t kick it instantly; you don’t have to keep baying it in my ear! After encouragement to actually time the kick, strangely, the baying desisted.

Christophers was starting to come alive and began to make his mark on the game. His signature darting runs causing a few flutters of the heart. Salter attempted a grubber but was impeded by Burrows, penalty from where it landed, 10M in our half, 3 points for Drahm, 27-22, was it starting to go away from us again?

From an Irish scrum halfway inside the Bristol half, the ball found it’s way to Horak who ran to about 10M short of the line before being brought down. He presented the ball beautifully for Beefy and Strudders to create a bit of space for Digby to spin the ball wide to the far side to Sheasby, who passed to (according to the announcer)……. Sheasby to touch down. Don’t worry, folks, he’s not that bionic, it was Declan who received the pass and scored.

A quick lineout saw Rossouw with just one man to beat for a clear run at the line. The only trouble being that this was on the half way line! So, a run into the man and a bit of footie theatrics later and we had a penalty. “It must have frightened the life out of him, the thought of having to run that far with it”, one wag commented.

In any case, accompanied by the obligatory booing and banging, Barry scored, 27-32.

Then we determined to throw it all away!

Shane Drahm started the move in the far corner; the ball was moved quickly across the Bristol back line to the other side for Nelson to score in acres of space. Being a forward, he didn’t have the nous to head towards the posts, for which Bristol paid the price of being the victors as Drahm’s conversion was judged wide. “He needs a good kick up the arse for not heading for the posts”, said Peter Thorburn after the game. “Barry and Darren, who were under the posts, both said it missed, that’s good enough for me”, said Conor.

Bristol’s management were delighted to be off the bottom by virtue of a better points difference. With Leicester next week, Irish must be concerned.


Bristol: Tries Daniel, penalty try, Drahm, Nelson; Conversions Drahm 3; Penalties Drahm 2. London Irish: Tries Burrows, Danaher; Conversions Everitt 2; Penalties Everitt 6.
Bristol: L Best; B Daniel, A Higgins (D Rees, 77), D Gibson, P Christophers; S Drahm, P Richards; E Bergamaschi (S Nelson, 73), P Johnstone, D Crompton, G Archer (capt), A Brown, M Salter, R Oakley (S Nelson, 35-40+2), C Short.
London Irish: M Horak; P Sackey, N Burrows, B Venter, P Rossouw; B Everitt, D Edwards; M Worsley (N Hatley, 47), N Drotske, R Hardwick (P Durant, 79), R Strudwick (capt), N Kennedy, P Gustard (J Cockle, 60), C Sheasby, D Danaher.
Referee: R Goodliffe (Sheffield).

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