16 September 2005
Issued on behalf of Bristol Rugby

Bristol Rugby Head Coach Richard Hill has made three changes to his starting line up, one of them tactical, two of them enforced by injury and one because of a baby as he prepares for the visit of one of his former clubs - Gloucester.

The tactical change is the inclusion of Samoan centre Brian Lima for his Bristol debut in place of Lee Robinson. Lima will bring a huge amount of international experience, not to mention physical presence, onto the right flank.

The two injury enforced changes were predictable given the news this week that Mark Regan had undergone surgery on a broken thumb and that Gareth Llewellyn had taken a blow to his ribs. Both injuries were suffered at Newcastle last Sunday. Saul Nelson comes into the starting line up for Regan and Roy Winters, making his first Premiership start for Bristol, comes into the second row.

Craig Short was a late withdrawal because his wife has gone into labour. Joe El Abd takes his place at openside flanker.
Prop Alex Clarke, also injured a knee up at Newcastle and his place on the bench is taken by Mark Irish who is facing his former club. Neil Clark and Ollie Hodge also come onto the bench.

Richard was in good spirits when he met the media to announce the team on Thursday: "Just one change in the backs with Brian Lima coming in. Brian's trained all week and picked things up very quickly. Coming in at centre would have been more difficult but he's picked up things on the wing."

"He's travelled a long way and took a few days to get over the jet lag but he seems ready to unleash himself on someone! He's very quiet, very serious about his rugby. No-one here wants to oppose him in contact drills!"

"It's tough on Lee (Robinson) but I'd intended Brian to start before his arrival with us was delayed. The fact that Lee played the preseason and the first two league matches was a bit of a bonus for him. I've not been displeased with Lee at all, he's done very well but it's no disgrace to be replaced by someone like Brian Lima. His time will come again."

"I've had to jiggle the forwards around a little bit. Saul Nelson has come in for Mark Regan but Saul's been first choice for the past couple of years so he knows the systems. Roy Winters is in for Gareth Llewellyn. Gareth could have played but Roy is a tried and tested Premiership player."

"I'd have liked to have named an unchanged team. Ronnie (Regan) and Gareth are key men in our lineout which is a concern but we've worked hard this week to overcome that." "I hope the weather's not like this at the weekend. When we went to Gloucester last year, it tipped it down and Gloucester played a huge kicking and they drove us around and it was very difficult to stop in the conditions."

"We're a dry weather team. We like to move it around. We haven't a pack which has the bulk of Gloucester's and we haven't spent as much time on our kicking game. So, it's fingers crossed for reasonable weather."

Bristol lead the top division for only the third time in their history and for the first time since November 23rd 1991 after a victory over Rosslyn Park. Bristol have won their past four league matches at the Memorial Stadium since losing to Penzance & Newlyn in February. However, Bristol have only beaten Gloucester once in their past 14 meetings in all competitions, 18-9 in the Premiership in January 2001.

Bristol Rugby:
Bernardo Stortoni, Brian Lima, Rob Higgitt, Manu Contepomi, Vaughan Going, Jason Strange, Shaun Perry, Dave Hilton, Saul Nelson, Darren Crompton, Mariano Sambucetti, Roy Winters, Matt Salter (capt), Joe El Abd, Geraint Lewis
Replacements:
Mark Irish, Neil Clark, Ollie Hodge, Dan Ward-Smith, Greg Nicholls, Danny Gray, Mark Denney

Hazell relishes derby test

Andy Hazell is preparing himself for an 'immensely physical' west country derby on Sunday - but has vowed Gloucester will not under-estimate the threat of current GUINNESS PREMIERSHIPleaders Bristol.

With victories over Bath and Newcastle already to their name, the Premiership's newest club have made a super-charged start to life in the top flight and more fireworks are expected at the Memorial Stadium against their rivals from up the M5.

Hazell will be one of the key figures in Gloucester's forward pack that contains one change from the side that beat Sale Sharks last weekend with hooker Mefin Davies earning his first start of the season.

But Hazell told www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk. "One thing for sure is that we know it's going to be immensely physical.

"We will not take anything lightly and we know will have to mix it. Bristol have done exceptionally well and won two very important matches. We will respect what they have achieved but go out there and give it everything.

"Generally, not a lot of rugby is played in local derbies but picking up points is the key and that is what we aim to do."

Hooker Mefin Davies comes into the front row in place of Olivier Azam, who takes a turn on the bench as part of Gloucester's rotation system as head coach Dean Ryan remains faithful with the team that beat the Sharks 21-18 last Saturday.

England centre Mike Tindall is fit to resume his centre partnership with Henry Paul after he limped out of the win over the Sharks with a hip injury. There is still no place for James Simpson-Daniel because of his ankle complaint.
 
Scrum-half Haydn Thomas gets another chance to impress following his first start last weekend and keeps Peter Richards on the bench, while Rob Thirlby and Mark Foster share the wing roles with Jon Goodridge at full-back.

Bristol have won their past four league matches at the Memorial Stadium since losing to Penzance & Newlyn in February. However, they have only beaten Gloucester once in their past 14 meetings in all competitions, 18-9 in the Premiership in January 2001.

"All we can do is keep building the points and the performances will come," Hazell said. "Dean Ryan has told us to be patient because the performances will improve.

"Bristol have made a fantastic start and will relish the thought of us going down there."

GLOUCESTER v (Bristol, Memorial Stadium, Sunday 3pm): Jon Goodridge; Mark Foster, Mike Tindall, Henry Paul, Rob Thirlby; Ludovic Mercier, Haydn Thomas; Patrice Collazo, Mefin Davies, Phil Vickery (capt), Adam Eustace, Alex Brown, Peter Buxton, Andy Hazell, James Forrester. Reps: Olivier Azam, Gary Powell, Mark Cornwell, Jake Boer, Peter Richards, Duncan McRae, Jack Adams.