Andy Robinson’s team finished 16 points clear but are feeling the pressure in the cruel format of the promotion battle as they prepare to face Bedford in the first leg of the semi-finalThe stresses of fighting Premiership relegation are well documented but people forget the flipside of the equation. Welcome to the Championship play-offs and an end‑of‑season format so cruel it could acquire been devised by the Marquis de Sade. Imagine labouring tough for nine months to be promoted,finishing top of the table by 16 points and then in effect having to start again from scratch? To say Andy Robinson, Bristol’s director of rugby, and looks faintly tense is akin to calling Isambard Kingdom Brunel a vaguely useful engineer. Related: London Irish lose relegation loophole as Championship clubs meet criteria Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com