Shoguns and Tigers trade jibes before Saturday

By Duncan Wood
May 15 2002

I'm not sure why he did it, but Peter Wheeler really stirred things up with his comments last week. He criticised various Bristol players and has provided the Shoguns with plenty of motivation for Saturday's game.

There wasn't really any animosity between the two sides despite Julian White and Adam Balding trying to knock lumps out of each other.

However, then Peter Wheeler waded in with some well placed comments:

"In his playing days (Bristol coach) Dean Ryan was always an abrasive, aggressive handful, meandering along the line between hard but firm and physical but foul. With more control he could have added to his international appearances."

"Of the team he now controls Garath Archer has long been disregarded by Clive Woodward for indiscipline and White has too short a fuse as was obvious from his red card offence on Sunday."

"It might be that they are affected by the stroppy nature of the talented, though apparently self centred, nature of Agustin Pichot."

Very shortly afterwards, Felipe Contepomi was cited by the independent citing officer for an as yet unspecified offence which supposedly involved Ollie Smith.

Bristol don't think that the fact that the citing followed Wheeler's comments is entirely coincidental. In fact, they have been making some pretty strong noises in the Bristol Evening Post.

Bristol believe that Wheeler's comments have damaged the image of the club. Felipe Contepomi, the subject of the citing (which was summarily dismissed) was understandably vocal:

"Peter Wheeler has been disrespectful to Bristol...It seems hard to understand that two days after he said what he said, I was called to a disciplinary hearing...I don't know whether it's a conspiracy against the club but Leicester should concentrate on their own side and not us...They are not the best example of good discipline...We are a tough side but not dirty...We play within the rules."

It could be quite a passionate clash come Saturday and, if Dean Ryan ever needed any motivation for his players, all he has to do is pin Wheeler's comments onto the dressing room wall.