Bristol Rugby will hope to give the Memorial Stadium a fitting
farewell with a promotion-clinching victory over London Welsh in
the second leg of the Greene King IPA Championship final.
Wednesday evening's game, kick-off 19:45pm, will be the last to be
staged at the West Country club's home of 93 years before this
summer's relocation to Ashton Gate.
A repeat of the scoreline in Bristol's first-ever game at the
ground, a 19-3 win over Cardiff in 1921, would not be enough though
for the former Premiership club to kiss goodbye to English rugby's
second tier, because at 'half-time' in the final London Welsh hold
all the aces and a 19-point lead following a tremendous 27-8 win in
the first leg at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford.
Roared on by a sell-out crowd approaching 12,000, Bristol will be
confident of a far better showing second time around and go into
the match with the knowledge that Welsh have not beaten them on
home soil since a 36-14 victory at the Memorial Stadium on April 1,
2011.
But 2012 Championship winners Welsh would love nothing better than
to play the role of party-poopers and become the first side to win
the title twice.
Prop Nathan Trevett, a try-scorer in the first leg, insists Welsh
will head west intent on taking the game to Bristol.
"We'll be ready for the war that's coming at the Mem," he
said.
"The rain suited us last week and Justin Burnell (head coach) likes
big, physical lads who get stuck in. But we've got Plans A and B
and if it's a dry night we can deal with that too.
"With a 19-point lead we're pretty confident. We'll take the game
to them and not just try to defend, because if you sit off them
they'll score tries."
Bristol Rugby v London Welsh, Wednesday June 4, KO 1945. Live on
Sky Sports HD.
Past Championship Finals
2009/10
Exeter Chiefs 9 Bristol Rugby 6
Bristol Rugby 10 Exeter Chiefs 29
2010/11
Cornish Pirates 12 Worcester Warriors 21
Worcester Warriors 25 Cornish Pirates 20
2011/12
Cornish Pirates 21 London Welsh 37
London Welsh 29 Cornish Pirates 20
2012/13
Bedford Blues 9 Newcastle Falcons 18
Newcastle Falcons 31 Bedford Blues 24
