Bristol Shoguns Press Conference

Question time
By Duncan Wood
June 6 2002

The Bristol Shoguns held a press conference yesterday ahead of Saturday's final. Answering questions from the media were Dean Ryan, Jack Rowell, Agustin Pichot, Felipe Contepomi, Jason Little and Craig Short.

Q. Dean, could you explain the significance of this match for Bristol after the hard times this club has had in recent years?

DR: I think with the timing this week with the final still to go, it's difficult. The real magnitude of what has been achieved for the club will be to reflect back on. I think from the playing side that we're just concentrating on preparations for the final. The semi final win, I mean it's such an unusual environment to have such a big prize for winning a semi final. European qualification is obviously a significant prize for us. But, for us as a team, it's just about preparing to go to Twickenham and being in the best possible form to win. I think the real sink in will be in about 4 weeks time when we reflect back and recognise that it's Heineken Cup that we have to prepare for and I think then we can take in where the club's come from in the last 2 or 3 years and the current status it's achieved.

JR: What we had lost was prestige and position within the hierarchy. When Dean and I got together a year last November, we had three goals one of which was to build a box office team challenging for honours and I think that's what Dean, the management team and especially the players have achieved quicker than I thought. I think that this trip to Twickenham formalises that and is a big shot in the arm to the community of Bristol.

Q. Dean, it was a very physical game on Saturday - did all the players come through it ok? Any fresh injuries?

Yes, it's amazing when you get to a final that suddenly everybody's fit and selection becomes a real issue. I think we've probably only got Andrew Higgins who is a long term injury. Pretty much everyone is available so selection is going to be a real issue because the proof of the weekend was that it's probably been the strongest we've been on the bench during the year and we made a real impact during the game and it's something we hope to achieve again at Twickenham.

Q. Dean, people obviously have their own opinions about the merits of this competition in the first place but there's obviously no such thing as a Bristol Gloucester clash which isn't full on?

DR: There are two things to deal with. The merits of this game are really a hangover from the season. Everybody recognises that the season is a very long time for these guys to be playing every week. European qualification via the championship playoff has been there since the beginning and for us we've come into some form towards the end of the season and it's fantastic that we've been able to progress through this tournament. Bristol v Gloucester games are huge. I was new to them 2 to 3 years ago and you can't really explain it without being involved in it. To have one at Twickenham is fantastic from a playing perspective and, perhaps more importantly, it's such a big occasion for the two communities and I hope it'll be a fantastic day.

Q. Gus, you've played on the highest stage. What does it mean to get there with Bristol?

AP: I think as Jack says that it's very important for the team, for Bristol rugby to be on such a stage. We've been working very hard for it and we can say now that we're on a stage that we've worked for. It's a completely different thing to be there as a team, to be there with your team mates. It's something that really motivates you and we're really looking forward to it.

DR: There's been an enormous amount of work gone on over the last few years. We recognise that we're quite a tight knit group in terms of the management and the players. For us it's something tangible that the outside world can recognise as a result of the work that's gone on. It's very difficult to justify the work when you haven't got a final or a league position to hang out at the end of the season. We said that, whether we'd won against Northampton or not, that work has still gone on, the development of the players has still gone on. Some of the youngsters that have come through have made fantastic progress throughout the course of the season and nobody was going to take that away from us. What the final does is give everybody outside the club a sign of the work done this season. From a playing perspective, we're delighted because you need to close that loop, you can't just keep on working blindly. A lot of the youngsters will benefit enormously from it.

Q. Felipe, I was wondering if you had any special celebrations planned if you score a try at Twickenham?

FC: No, I don't know. We don't prepare celebrations! It's in the heat of the moment.

Q. Craig, as a Bristol bred, local club developed member of the team since 1994-5, what does this mean?

CS: It's massive. I've never been to Twickenham before and I've never been involved in a final with Bristol. So, to get there at last is a massive achievement not just for the club but for the supporters who've stuck with us through thick and thin. Going down and coming back up. I really can't wait to get there.

Q. Craig. When the club went bankrupt what was it like for you?

CS: Tough. Everybody was obviously without a job. I went back out to work straightaway. Luckily Malcolm Pearce came in and took the club over pretty quickly and Bob Dwyer came in and brought in some new players. A lot of players left because they were worried about dropping down to the 2nd division, they had international careers to think about. I had offers to go to other places but I stuck with the club because I knew we could come back up with the quality of players we had coming in.

Q. What did you do during that period?

CS: I'm a bricklayer by trade and I went back on site for probably about a month before the call came to come back into training which I was very pleased about! They were worrying times.

Q. Jack, the U21s are at Twickenham as well. It's a big day for the club. What does it mean to have 2 teams at Twickenham on the day but what will also be the knock on effect for next year?

JR: Well, what Bristol needed to do given the slough of despond we fell into was to create a team but also be box office. Going into this season, I agreed with Dean that we needed Jason Little. We needed Ross Beattie who turned up and didn't play but who has become something of a talisman in recent weeks. Ross Beattie turned up and Ben Sturnham started playing out of his skin which is good news! And we needed Julian White. That was to get some box office, some world class quality into the team to compliment the Craig Shorts who battle it out every week. That has happened. The U21s is now the playing side of our Academy and are continuing to win although their first focus is to produce future first team players for Dean and co. So, it's all coming toegther but you need some formal recognition of your efforts and the Heineken Cup and the playoff final give us that. It tells the UK, Ireland and the rest of the world generally that Bristol are back in business.

Q. Jason you know a fair bit about Gloucester. What sort of game are you expecting on Saturday?

Obviously, they're very strong up front. The last time we played them, we lost 40-41 and their scrum and lineout was outstanding and put a lot of pressure on us. I think their players have developed mentally as a team since I left. They play a full 15 man style and are a very exciting team to play against. They're probably one of the form teams in the second half of the season and it's probably no coincidence that that's happened since Nigel Melville took over. So, it's going to be extremely difficult for us. The challenge for us now is to stay in Europe and the hard work is really only just beginning.