By Duncan Wood
October 3 2002

Daryl Gibson made his first home league appearance for Bristol Shoguns against Leicester last weekend. He spoke to me yesterday about the experience and looked forward to the games in the weeks ahead.

It was your first home game last Sunday. How did you find the experience?

It was pretty good. I'd have to rate it as one of the most intense games I've played in for a while. I think that we played with a bit of desperation, a lot of urgency. Obviously because we really wanted to get the win and get the points. It was crucial.

The game was greatly influenced by the events of the first couple of minutes. When it happened, did the team consciously get together in a sense of team unity or was it something that remained unsaid?

It was something left unsaid. The attitude for the day was that we just needed to win and you could see that in the defence. But we were down to 14 and a good side really should have put us away. They definitely had their chances but, credit to us, we hung in there and were pretty tenacious in defence.

You've made 2 appearances now. How have you found the Premiership so far?

(Laughs) It's funny but when I was yellow carded, I was walking across the pitch and someone in the crowd yelled, "Hey Gibson, you still haven't played 80 minutes yet!" That was pretty amusing! It's definitely different. The game's different, there's a lot more playing for territory and emphasis on forward domination. I think that teams play quite similarly because they don't want to take risks and make mistakes because if you do that then you get punished.

You're still finding your feet and getting to know your team mates. Do you reckon that the Bristol crowd are still to see the best of you?

Oh, definitely. We're playing quite a tight game at the moment and, whilst I'm fulfilling a role for the team, I prefer to be given a bit of space and ball so that I can run and step and so forth. I'm still learning the strengths and weaknesses of my team mates and trying to fit in so hopefully we can do a lot better.

On Sunday you were up against an old adversary in Rod Kafer. This Sunday, Braam van Straaten lies in wait. Have you get any advice for your team mates?

Well, obviously he's a very physical player and a great goalkicker who can kick from anywhere so we can't give away too many penalties. We have to keep building on our performance from the weekend and if we play as a team and really defend well then we can really turn things around.

Leeds is the last league game for a couple of weeks and then into the Heineken Cup. What are you looking forward to about the Heineken?

I'm looking forward to playing in different competitions and against different teams in a different style. It's good over here that you get a chance to play in a different competition and start again and to do well and we're looking to do our best and start on the right note.

Leinster are first up. How much do you know about Brian O'Driscoll?

I know quite a bit. He came down with the Irish team on the winter tour. He's a good player, plays like a Kiwi, very abrasive and plenty of skill. So, I'm looking forward to that encounter.

You've been here a few weeks. Are you feeling at home in Bristol?

Love it! Everyone keeps saying that the weather's unseasonal but if it keeps like this then that''s brilliant. We've got our own place now and really enjoying it.

Are you following Canterbury's in the NPC?

Yeah, all the boys are following Bristol's progress and giving me a bit of stick but now I can shut them up finally!