BRISTOL and Bath have not always enjoyed a cordial relationship – but they are teaming up today for a training session Andy Robinson hopes will give his team “a springboard” into their festive fixtures.
Bristol have taken several players on loan from Bath in recent seasons, with flanker Nick Koster the latest, and the clubs have shown a willingness to work together in certain areas.
One of those is to occasionally organise full-on training sessions, and the sides expected to go up against each other today in live attack-versus-defence situations, as well as scrums and line-outs.
Bristol director of rugby Andy Robinson, a former Bath captain and coach, hopes the session will benefit his players ahead of their GKIPA Championship games against Ealing this Saturday and Moseley a week later.
“It’s training against another opposition and training with a high level of physicality, which is something we want to improve in what we’re doing,” said Robinson.
“It’s something that Bristol did last season – they used that a couple of times – so we’re going to see how the other half live at Farleigh Hungerford and we’re looking forward to a good training session.
“The key for this is that we’re using it in preparation to play against Ealing – it’s to give us a springboard into Ealing and Moseley.”
Bristol’s last two league matches ended in defeats against Cornish Pirates and Leeds, so their block of British Irish Cup games allowed them to return to winning ways.
They beat Scottish Premiership leaders Gala 62-7 at home and 17-6 away, with a 78-0 win at Aberavon in between.
Robinson was also able to rest and rotate his players from game to game, with many of his first-team regulars not even travelling to the Scottish Borders at the weekend.
That offered other players a chance to impress – and Cardiff Metropolitan University’s Mark Cooke, who was drafted in for the games at Aberavon and Gala, was one who caught the director of rugby’s eye.
“One player I’d like to give a special mention to is Mark Cooke, who played in the centre,” said Robinson. “I thought he played really, really well.
“He’s a young lad, he’s at university, and he’s been playing for his university side, so for him to come in and perform the way he did against Aberavon and Gala, I was really delighted with that.
“He’s a player who’s not in the squad for this weekend, but he’s a player I think has a really good future with us.”
When asked if Robinson could see Cooke, 20, featuring for Bristol in the Championship at some point, he said: “We’re working that out – and we’ll make a decision on that after the next BI Cup games. But I’ve been pleased with his progress.”
Having conceded 28 tries in their ten league games – more than seven other Championship – Robinson also took heart from his side’s defensive effort across their three BI Cup games.
“We won three games, which we’re pleased about, and we only conceded one try – although we’re disappointed to have conceded that one try,” he said.
“I think there was a better defensive focus from us, after the disappointment of what happened against Leeds (Bristol conceded four tries in a 28-22 defeat).
“We’ve got to become better defenders and that’s a big area for us to work on over the next three or four months.”
Training with Bath "will help Bristol Rugby return to League games"
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