Doncaster Knights: We had no answer to Bristol, admits Clive Griffiths

Doncaster Knights will review their biggest defeat of the season today at Castle Park prior to having a few days off.
Clive GriffithsClive Griffiths
Clive Griffiths

Director of rugby Clive Griffiths admits footage from Friday’s 68-10 Championship defeat at Bristol on Friday will not make for comfortable viewing for either coaching staff or players.

“It is the biggest defeat of my coaching career and I’m sure it will be the biggest defeat in the careers of most of the players,” he said on Sunday.

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Although bitterly disappointed with the result, Griffiths chose to applaud the efforts of the Premiership-bound home side rather than offer excuses for his own side’s failings.

“All their players stood up (to be counted) on a night when they celebrated winning the championship,” he said.

“As a result we were ruthlessly exposed and clinically dispatched. We had no answer to them on the night.

“We weren’t able to cope with them even though we were prepared for the plays they put on.

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“The result was a big disappointment because of the result against (second-placed) Ealing the week before. Maybe our expectations going into the Bristol game were too high?

“As I say, they didn’t want to fall flat on their faces the night they were presented with the trophy and all their big money players produced their A game. When you have a side full of internationals, as they have, and they are on the top of their game it was always going to be a tough day at the office.

“I had a real go at the players at half-time to try and lift them but they knew that would be the case and hit us with three tries in the first ten minutes.

“We’ve got to try and regroup for the Jersey game on Saturday week.”