SEAN Holley has reminded those Bristol players who are out of favour – or without a contract for next season – that they may only be one injury away from appearing in the GKIPA Championship final.
Bristol have a 50-man squad, which has allowed them to rotate and keep their frontline players fresh, but it also means a couple of dozen players have routinely been frustrated.
And with the business end of the season approaching – and Bristol in contention to win the Championship and British Irish Cup – coach Holley wants every player to realise they could be called upon at any time.
Bristol have recruited heavily with next season in mind – so many of their current players will move on at the end of the season.
And Holley said: “It must be difficult for a lot of players who aren’t playing regularly. It’s difficult for players who know they’re not going to be at the club next year and desperately want to be part of it. I went on the record saying we want to win everything we’re entered into – and I think the British Irish Cup has been a bonus, because players do get games and still have an incentive.
“But they all know as well, they are just one bump away from being in. As a coach, you have to make them aware of that.
“It doesn’t matter what position they play, or what rung of the ladder they’re on, one bump is all it takes – and you could be playing ten in a Championship final; you could be playing hooker in a BI Cup semi-final.
“So you’ve got to be ready – and it’s our jobs to keep them at the ready, physically and mentally fit, and, touch wood, so far we seem to be in a pretty good place.”
Bristol host London Welsh this evening – and victory would see them guarantee top spot in the Championship.
That would give Bristol an advantage in as much as it would allow them to choose in which order they would play the two legs of the Championship semi-final, and, should they get there, the final.
And, while Holley has acknowledged that some players “haven’t coped with it very well” when it comes to being told they are not part of the club’s plans for next season, he said the onus was on those players to sign off on a high note.
“For some of them, they haven’t coped with it very well,” he admitted. “But it comes down to things like how do you want to be remembered?
“Even though you’re leaving the club, how would you want to be remembered by your Bristol team-mates and the Bristol fans?
“Do you want to have on your CV being part of a promotion-gaining Bristol team, or that you were part of failing to get them up because you didn’t contribute as you should have in a professional manner?
“It’s a no-brainer for somebody like me, but it comes down to personal circumstances. Fortunately, we’ve got a great group here who have bought in from the start.”
Holley also said players and agents were trying all kinds of tricks in order to be linked with Bristol – and he expects the speculation to continue.
“When you are able to attract Dwayne Peel, Ryan Jones, Anthony Perenise and Jack Lam – big names in the world game – all of a sudden players and agents turn their heads and want to be part of it,” he said.
“Trust me, they will go to any lengths to be linked to (Bristol) or in the frame, even if it’s only to bump up their current contracts or to get interest from other teams.”
Ross Rennie has recovered from a shoulder injury to face Welsh this evening, but Ruki Tipuna (heel) and Kyle Traynor (ribs) miss out.
Bristol: J Wallace; G Watkins, J Tovey, B Mosses, A Short; N Robinson, L Baldwin; J Hall, R Lawrence, G Cortes, M Sorenson (capt), B Glynn, N Koster, R Rennie, M Eadie. Reps: S McInally, J Hobson, G Townson, M Mama, C Braley, A Jarvis, A Hughes.
London Welsh: T L’Estrange; S Stegmann, T May (capt), H Tonga’uiha, J Ajuwa; A Davies, T Keats; T Bristow, N Vella, P Edwards, M Corker, W Spencer, R Thorpe, C Kirwan, D Browne. Reps: N Morris, N Trevett, C Griffiths, B West, J Quill, C Cook, J Tincknell.
Article source: http://www.espnscrum.com/ireland/rugby/story/220339.html
Rugby Every player in our squad will have a part to play – Holley
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