Bristol’s dog fight
Kingston to quit at Quins
HARLEQUINS director of rugby John Kingston will leave the struggling Premiership club at the end of the season.
Kingston, below, has been in the role since 2016 and involved with the club for 17 years, but will step aside in what was described as a mutual decision.
Quins have battled injuries and suspensions this year and sit ninth in the league, unable to qualify for next season’s Champions Cup. Matters came to a head after a home drubbing by London Irish on Saturday and Kingston said: “No one has been more disappointed by our results than me. This is the strongest squad assembled in my time at Harlequins and this leaves the club in a sound position.”
Kingston has also had to contend with the unrest caused by Marland Yarde. The wing was accused by Chris Robshaw of letting down the club after missing training, with the fallout seeing him leave for Sale in November. THE SCOUT BRISTOL’S return to the Premiership will provide the acid test of whether promotion and relegation should remain part of the English rugby landscape.
If they cannot stay up next season with Steve Lansdown’s millions behind them and the critical extra time to plan and recruit for the top flight that the scrapping of play-offs has delivered, then no one can, and it will be time to pull up the drawbridge.
The RFU’s decision move to a first past the post to system in the Championship and Bristol’s predictable dominance of the division this season – their promotion confirmed on Saturday with two rounds remaining – has given them seven more weeks to try to bridge the gap than London Irish had last year.
Charles Piutau is on his way from Ulster on the highest wages in English rugby – a cough and a spit shy of £1million a season – and with Lansdown in place head coach Pat Lam has the wherewithal to strengthen further a squad which already has a fair smattering of internationals.
Lam won the Pro14 at Connacht with virtually no resources so he is rubbing his hands at having a crack at the Premiership. Expect a few more incomers from New Zealand and South Africa, although maintaining a south-west backbone remains important to him.
“We’ve been clear that our vision is Champions Cup, a pathway for England and Bristolians coming through,” said Lam. “The first step was to get out of the Championship and now we have to prepare for the next phase. Next season, we will have a squad with over 70 per cent English-qualified players and I’m really excited about the talent that is coming through.
“It’s going to be a step up, so we will ensure our preparation and training standards are at a high level.”
There are no guarantees. Bristol went straight back down last season after winning promotion but that was in the restrictive play-off days.
This time they have a fair shot and, for the sake of those who believe in the refreshing and restorative nature of promotion and relegation, it is to be hoped something of it. The system that enabled defending champions Exeter to break through into the Premiership is under threat from club owners looking to protect their lot and cut their losses. A significant proportion of them want to move to a closed league. London Irish’s struggles this season after promotion add fuel to their fire. Although the Exiles showed their fight with an eye-catching 35-5 win at Harlequins on Saturday, their stay in the Premiership could end on Sunday if they lose to Exeter. Another yo-yo season will only embolden the owners to push harder. Cash-rich Bristol return as unlikely flagbearers for the underdog, for all those with desires to travel to the top, and should have the backing of neutrals everywhere. they make