Championship Playoff 2 - Worcester v Bristol

First topic message reminder :

I thought that I'd adapt the playoff 1 thread into a match thread for tonight's match. I know it's not quite as glossy as other posters matchday threads (no pictures or logos) but hopefully it's fit for purpose!

Sixways (kick-off 7.45pm Wed 27th May)

Live on Sky Sports 1

Warriors

15 Chris Pennell
14 Tom Biggs
13 Alex Grove
12 Ryan Mills
11 Cooper Vuna
10 Ryan Lamb
9 JB Bruzulier
1 Val Rapava Ruskin
2 Agustin Creevy
3 Nick Schonert
4 James Percival
5 Jonathan Thomas
6 Mike Williams
7 Sam Betty
8 GJ van Velze (C)

Replacements
16 Niall Annett
17 Ryan Bower
18 Joe Rees
19 Leonardo Senatore
20 Jamie Shillcock
21 Ravai Fatiaki
22 Ben Howard

Bristol:

Wallace
Amesbury
Tovey
Mosses
Lemi
Robinson
Peel (capt)
Traynor
Brooker
Cortes
Glynn
Sorenson
Mama
Lam
Eadie

Replacements: Crumpton, Perenise, Townson, Robinson, Kessell, Morgan, Maule

It's basically all square with Worcester just one point up after the first match at Bristol. A last minute try by Annett which was duly converted by Lamb gives this narrow advantage to Worcester. Sixways is a sell out so there will be over 12000 fans there with 3000 from Bristol expected to make the 60 mile journey up the M5.

Bristol have beaten Worcester twice already this season and in my opinion are narrow favourites tonight. The overall record between the clubs is 13-6 in Worcester's favour with one draw.

Your thoughts and predictions would be very welcome!

Come on Wuss. I like guys like Ryan Jones, but Sean Holley would be pretty unbearable if they went up. Plus there's a bit of Welsh involvement with Worcester anyway.

What, JT?

Risca Rev wrote:Come on Wuss. I like guys like Ryan Jones, but Sean Holley would be pretty unbearable if they went up. Plus there's a bit of Welsh involvement with Worcester anyway.

Thanks Rev! There's Jonathan Thomas on the pitch for Wuss tonight if you fancy some direct Welsh focus - he was great last week.

HongKongCherry wrote:Stub, I'm surprised it's only worth an additional £2m. I appreciate you'll still receive the parachute payment, but with the new TV deal in place I'd have thought it would have added a lot more.

Good luck tonight and hopefully we can pick up a win at your place on Sunday too!

Thanks Hong Kong Cherry - I'll be cheering you on on Sunday as well!

The Saint wrote:What, JT?

Yup!

The Saint wrote:What, JT?

The 9 Bruzulier is from Cardiff apparently and then Joe Rees and Sam Lewis (not involved). I only really found out about the 9 last week and forgot Rees was there.

stub wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:Come on Wuss. I like guys like Ryan Jones, but Sean Holley would be pretty unbearable if they went up. Plus there's a bit of Welsh involvement with Worcester anyway.

Thanks Rev! There's Jonathan Thomas on the pitch for Wuss tonight if you fancy some direct Welsh focus - he was great last week.

Good to hear he played well. Was working last week and tonight sadly.

Risca Rev wrote:

The Saint wrote:What, JT?

The 9 Bruzulier is from Cardiff apparently and then Joe Rees and Sam Lewis (not involved). I only really found out about the 9 last week and forgot Rees was there.

Me too.

Score updates would be appreciated, stub.

4 nil. Still.

Nicky Robinson penalty. 1 nil. To Worcester.

Worcester 16-6 up at HT and 11 points ahead on aggregate.

If you don't have Sky, you can listen live on BBC here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/rugby-union/32833357

as much as I would love to see Jones's peel and henson back in the premiership I hope Worcester see this off. Holley is the worst professional coach ever to come out of Wales, his statbased play by numbers approach is absolutely dogs%^t and he has done nothing but waste a talented ospreys side in their prime

Dear old Robinson living up to his reputation of not being able to hit a cow's backside with a banjo!

HongKongCherry wrote:Dear old Robinson living up to his reputation of not being able to hit a cow's backside with a banjo!

I still cringe.

Brizzle seem to be 28-16 up now!

Ryan Lamb

What a game this is.

Been watching the last 20. What drama! Tovey will be kicking himself if they lose this, knocked on with a 2 man overlap

Ooft...

Oooooh, more drama

13 man Bristol to hold out for 50 seconds

wales606 wrote:Oooooh, more drama

13 man Bristol to hold out for 50 seconds

Or not!

Try Worcester!

OUCH!

Gutted for Bristol Welsh after they finished top of the regular season.

What a comeback from both sides.

They will probably miss the conversion now...

Ooooh, gutting for Bristol.

There going Matthew Morgan's chance of a Wales career.

59-58 to Wuss - the last kick of the 160 minutes won it.

Never seen anything like that.

It wouldn't be the championship without Bristol throwing it away.....again.

Ooooof, congratulations wuss

Listening on the train back from London. Very exciting stuff. Feel for the Bristol fans and the old Welsh Guard. Well done Worcester, though!

Brilliant game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Feel for Bris.

Oh dear how did Bristol manage to lose that. #topchokers

That last play was amazing - they could have kept the ball in that scrum and pushed for a penalty try but were brave and whipped it along the backline. They deserved the win. Pennell is a rifleman - a clinical tryscorer.

Poor Andy Robinson has to be absolutely beside himself.

Cracking game. Last ten minutes was almost played like a Baabaas game. I think the scoreline correctly showed just how right the game was.

Talking of Penney, guessing he won't be joining tigers now!

hopefully a number of the welsh contingent will come home now

What a finish!

Surely the end of the road for Robbo now, 2 years in a row!

Very happy for Worcester and for Sean Holley to have his smug persona knocked again.

Congrats Stub. Hope we get you in the Challenge Cup, as I have been waiting for a trip to Sixways.

GavinDragon wrote:hopefully a number of the welsh contingent will come home now

Would love any of them at the Dragons. They're certainly not doing themselves any favours losing play-offs with Bristol all the time... And they'd surely be back on the team Wales radar if at a region.

Best game I've seen in a long time. Massive credit to the Championship.

Exciting game, congratulations stub.

Nicky Robinson had a mare and cost his team in the end.

Risca Rev wrote:Very happy for Worcester and for Sean Holley to have his smug persona knocked again.

Congrats Stub. Hope we get you in the Challenge Cup, as I have been waiting for a trip to Sixways.

Wow, well what a fantastic match, Hard luck Bristol - you looked the better side in in the second half. Can't believe we squeaked through but so pleased we did!! So proud of Wuss - never gave up even when it looked bleak. Don't quite know what else to say except

Time to build now and get ready for a punishing year...

Risca - looking forward to seeing you at Sixways

The Great Aukster wrote:Exciting game, congratulations stub.

Nicky Robinson had a mare and cost his team in the end.

Thanks Auskster - Nicky would have been the (+) difference on another night.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Best game I've seen in a long time. Massive credit to the Championship.

George Carlin wrote:That last play was amazing - they could have kept the ball in that scrum and pushed for a penalty try but were brave and whipped it along the backline. They deserved the win. Pennell is a rifleman - a clinical tryscorer.

Poor Andy Robinson has to be absolutely beside himself.

He was so good!

nathan wrote:Ooooof, congratulations wuss

Ta Nathan!

MarcusHalberstram wrote:Listening on the train back from London. Very exciting stuff. Feel for the Bristol fans and the old Welsh Guard. Well done Worcester, though!

Cheers Marcus - tough on a few players for sure.

Risca Rev wrote:

stub wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:Come on Wuss. I like guys like Ryan Jones, but Sean Holley would be pretty unbearable if they went up. Plus there's a bit of Welsh involvement with Worcester anyway.

Thanks Rev! There's Jonathan Thomas on the pitch for Wuss tonight if you fancy some direct Welsh focus - he was great last week.

Good to hear he played well. Was working last week and tonight sadly.

sorry to hear that rev.

The Saint wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:

The Saint wrote:What, JT?

The 9 Bruzulier is from Cardiff apparently and then Joe Rees and Sam Lewis (not involved). I only really found out about the 9 last week and forgot Rees was there.

Me too.

Score updates would be appreciated, stub.

Sorry The Saint, would have but couldn't as I was incapacitated!!

formerly known as Sam wrote:Cracking game. Last ten minutes was almost played like a Baabaas game. I think the scoreline correctly showed just how right the game was.

Proves just buying in players doesn't guarantee you the success you want. I still think that while they are in the Championship then players like Evans and Morgan won't be included in the Welsh set up and neither should they, I wonder in Morgan will now look to move again.

That was a great game of rugby, and I'm glad Worcester won. I have to say I thought it was poor that the first thing Andy Robinson did when interviewed after the game was complain about the referee. Fair enough if he has issues with JP Doyle's performance, but there are official avenues for that. As a certain shy and retiring referee likes to say, "this is not soccer".