PLAY-OFF FINAL Bristol Rugby make four changes
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- Last Updated on Wednesday, 04 June 2014 07:28
- Published on Wednesday, 04 June 2014 07:03
Bristol RFC bid to claw back a 19-point deficit against London Welsh in tonight's sold-out Greene King IPA Championship final second leg at the Memorial Stadium (19:45).
It is the second time that Bristol have featured in the Championship final, having lost to Exeter Chiefs at the end of the 2009/10 season, while London Welsh – 27-8 first leg winners - will be seeking to become the first side to win the title twice.
"I think that London Welsh will come out and play and go for it," opines Bristol director of rugby Andy Robinson.
"It should make for a very exciting game. We feel the crowd is a 10-point advantage for us and can really give the side a lift.
"It is about being able to thrive on the atmosphere, thrive on what is created here, the conditions and the pressure of the game. We are looking for every Bristol player to stand-up, enjoy the atmosphere and give their best.
"We knew at the start of the season that we wanted to get into this position, to be in a play-off final, and that we under-performed in the first leg.
"What we want to be is enthusiastic but accurate in the way that we play. Twenty-seven of the points that London Welsh scored against us came from our errors. We will only get five or six chances and we have to be sure we take them.”
Robinson makes four changes to the starting line-up ahead of Bristol's last ever game at the Memorial Stadium. Charlie Amesbury wings in for leading try-scorer George Watkins while Gaston Cortes starts at tight head prop.
Scrum half Ruki Tipuna skippers the team in place of injured Luke Baldwin (ankle) and Mitch Eadie replaces injured No 8 Ryan Jones (ankle).
Bristol starting XV Jack Wallace; Charlie Amesbury, Jack Tovey, Ben Mosses, Andy Short; Nicky Robinson, Ruki Tipuna (capt); Kyle Traynor, Ross Johnston, Gaston Cortes, Ben Glynn, Glen Townson, Nick Koster, Marco Mama, Mitch Eadie
Ready on the bench Rhys Lawrence, James Hall, Jason Hobson, Ben Skirving, James Grindal, Adrian Jarvis, Adam Hughes.
London Welsh starting XV Alan Awcock; Seb Stegmann, Tom May (capt), Seb Jewell, Nick Scott; Gordon Ross, Chris Cook; Nathan Trevett, Nathan Morris, Peter Edwards, Will Spencer, Matt Corker, Mitch Lees, Carl Kirwan, Richard Thorpe.
Ready on the bench Nathan Vella, Tom Bristow, James Tideswell, Ben West, Ollie Stedman, Rob Lewis, Rhys Crane.
Referee Luke Pearce (Devon)
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