By Ian Todd
May 29 2014

Where do you start after that?

Normally I’d write a report that would describe some of the action, give an impression of the game, reaction to it, a bit of analysis.

Frankly today I can’t be bothered.  That was such a disappointing performance.  Yes you could quibble over a couple of decisions, why Welsh were allowed to push before the ball was in virtually every time, the penalty for crossing, the very last action of the game when we are pressing forward and a Welsh player knocks on and the referee says knock-on Bristol and blows for time.  But those are irritating, not decisive.  We lost that game in a dispiriting way.  It was not, as some here have claimed our ‘worst performance EVER’.  I have seen far worse.  This season against Ealing away was worse, last season against Nottingham was way worse.

However, it was the capitulation in what was the second most important game of this, and recent, seasons, that is so disappointing.  The way in which time after time possession was aimlessly kicked away was shockingly poor.  It was a reversion to a style of play reminiscent of the worst days under Paul Hull and, especially, Liam Middleton.  It was something we all thought had been consigned to the past, with a coaching team that preached the idea of continuity of possession.  There was only one side that had continuity of possession and that was London Welsh because we kept giving to them without them having to do anything to get it.

I find it hard to believe that was the plan the team came up with.  It runs so counter to the way we’ve approached the season till now.  Yes, we played a tighter game against Rotherham in the second half but when we kicked (which wasn’t often) it was for touch not downfield with no chase.  If that was the plan, then they should hang their heads in shame.  In fact, they should hang their heads in shame anyway.  One of the areas on the message board I do find myself agreeing with is that the supporters deserve better than this.  Maybe half that crowd were Bristol supporters.  I saw the usual suspects around me, plenty I did not know.  They spend time, money and enthusiasm following their club around the country and at the culmination of the season what do they see?  A side looking woefully out of sorts that was thoroughly outplayed by a side that was little more than well-drilled and organised.  I discount comments on here about how good London Welsh were.  Does anyone think that either side would have given any Premiership side a game on that performance? Not even the black hole of tedium that is Newcastle would have struggled with that.  London Welsh came with a plan and the means to execute it.  We came with what?  I saw little evidence of any plan, and whatever it was we rarely looked as if we were able to execute anything.

In one week we go into the second leg nineteen points behind.  Next Wednesday will be Bristol’s last ever game at the Memorial Ground.  It will either see us stage a rousing comeback that will ensure we leave the ground a Premiership side once again.  Or it will see us tamely remain in the second tier and consigned to playing in front of small crowds rattling around in a stadium that, with the best will in the world, is not our home.

There’s no point in giving everyone a beasting on the training pitch.  If they don’t know what to do by now then they never will.  They should go to the gates and read what it says there.  Think about what playing for Bristol in the last ever game at the Ground built as a memorial to the rugby players of Bristol means.  Seek out from our club historian the names and deeds of some of those men.  And then go out and play in a professional, organised and committed way.  Go out and play with freedom, skill and flair.  If they come up short, so be it.  But come up short playing with verve and elan.  Come up short playing exciting rugby.  Come up short playing for their club and what it represents.  Come up short playing for each other and the supporters; playing with pride in what the Memorial Ground stands for.

Or maybe, if they play like that, maybe they won’t come up short at all.