Bristol Rugby job is a one-off for me, says new forwards coach Danny Wilson

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RUGBY UNION

Danny Wilson is ready to grasp the “one-off” opportunity to help home club Bristol into the Aviva Premiership.

The recently-appointed forwards coach, who was born and bred in Weston-super-Mare, enjoyed a successful coaching career in Wales and with London Welsh, but is now delighted to have returned home.

He was recruited by Andy Robinson and Sean Holley, having worked alongside the latter at Scarlets, and is relishing the opportunity to help Bristol back to the top flight.

“It’s nice to be back home in Weston-super-Mare, where a lot of my friends and family still live,” said Wilson.

“That’s been great, as has being back in the West Country in general. I was born and bred in Weston-super-Mare, although I moved away when I went to university in 1998.

“I did my degree and the bulk of my coaching career to date in Wales, and that has been great for me.

“But now I am at the club that’s the closest to my home club – it feels like my home club – and a lot of my friends and family support Bristol.

“The ambition here is serious – and to coach your home club in the top league, which is where we all want to go, would be a one-off. That doesn’t happen very often in a coach’s career, so I want to grasp that opportunity and help to fulfil the goals and requirements of this club.

“Andy and Sean sold those goals and ambitions to me – and it became very clear to me the huge ambitions Bristol have. Those ambitions come with expectations, and we have to deliver those come the business end of the season.”

Bristol’s players returned for pre-season on June 30, following the disappointment of the GKIPA Championship play-offs, which concluded 26 days earlier.

And while Wilson knows the players do not need to peak until next spring – with the play-offs taking place in May – he said there is plenty of work to be getting on with for now.

“If we are honest and straight-talking about it, it’s about peaking in April and May; about making sure you are in the play-offs, and then hitting top form in two semi-finals and two finals,” he said.

“That’s the ambition and the objective, but it’s also important not to take anything away from the regular season.

“In a very competitive league, we’ve got to achieve enough of a standard to reach the play-offs – and that is a challenge in itself.”

Article source: http://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/features/columnists/brendan-gallagher/15579/brendan-gallagher-balm-before-the-storm-englands-1914-slam/

Bristol Rugby job is a one-off for me, says new forwards coach Danny Wilson