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Bristol Rugby have confirmed that
General Manager Corin Palmer has left the club as part of a significant cost cutting exercise.
Palmer, who joined Bristol in 2006
from London Irish, is one of a growing number of 'management staff'
to have left over recent months.
CEO Steve Gorvett is quoted as saying
"Given the current very difficult economic conditions, we are having
to look at all areas of the business to reduce costs and we have
therefore reluctantly had to part company with Corin."
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Also leaving by mutual agreement
is Bristol winger Anthony Elliott.
A former Newcastle Falcons and England
Sevens player, Elliot [below] came to Bristol in the summer of 2007. During his stay
he made 12 appearances and got his name on the scorecard 3 times.
Elliot represented England in
the 2007 World Sevens Series
Unable to secure regular appearances
with the 1st XV squad , Bristol Rugby have ended his contract early
in order that he might leave as a free agent ... and pursue his
career elsewhere.
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Super Sonics ...
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| Sporting history was made on Sunday as Rugby
League’s oldest and most prestigious tournament, The Carnegie
Challenge Cup, came Bristol for the very first time ... MORE |
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QUINS CRUISE TO VICTORY AT THE
STOOP
31JAN09 - Harlequins 27 Northampton Saints 6
Back in action after a four month
lay off through injury, strong running from David Strettle helped Harlequins cruise
to an easy victory over Northampton in the Guinness Premiership on Saturday.
It took just three minutes for Quins'
hooker Gary Botha to open the scoreline [below] in a game the Saints will doubtless sooner
forget.
The win lifts Harlequins from seventh
to sixth place in the Premiership whilst Northampton, who have yet
to win away from home this season, remain eighth. MATCH REPORT
photos Andrew Tobin / UNiCOM
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David Strettle back on form ..
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Bristol
back to winning ways ...
Together
with tries from Budgett, Robinson [2] and Perry, 7 scoring kicks
from Ed Barnes helped Bristol Rugby record their first victory since
mid November away to Toulon last evening ...
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ED
BARNES
Notched
up 7 successful kicks in France
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17JAN09
- TOULON
19 - BRISTOL 37
Though
fielding a less than full strength side, the French team had nevertheless
been tipped to win by Bristol press pundits and were clearly rocked
their visitors' determination
and spirit. MORE
In
the same competition [ECC],
and surely now with renewed confidence, Bristol's next outing is
against more Frenchmen, this time in the form of Montpellier, at
the Mem' on Jan 25th.
However,
regardless of the result on that day, Bristol's current Pool position
dictates that they are unable progress further in the competition
beyond that point.
The
chosen squad will be playing for pride alone and will doubtless
be looking to impress their Coach and fans ahead of the
all important Premiership relegation decider against Newcastle on
Feb 13th.
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photos
(c) Gary Bray / UNiCOM
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A
BLACK DAY FOR BRISTOL RUGBY
11JAN09
'The
Men in Black' at Vicarage Road left Bristol Rugby marooned at the
bottom of the Guinness Premiership table this afternoon with an
emphatic 37-7 home win.
To rub salt
in the wound, Newcastle Falcons, Bristol's closest rivals in the
league, pulled off a surprise 10-7 victory over Gloucester easing
themselves 7 points clear of Richard Hill's ailing squad. PICS
& MORE HERE
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Alfie
To'oala looks for support ...
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Bristol
Rugby's Paul Hull, Richard Hill's right hand man, has been appointed
England Saxons Assistant Coach.
The former Bristol and England full
back is to take up the position ahead of the Saxons match against
Portugal at the end of the month.
After twelve years on the pitch
playing for Bristol, Hull went into coaching and successfully led
the club's Under 21s to three Premiership titles.
photo
(c) Gary Bray / UNiCOM
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"I'm staying at City!" - Bradley Orr
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After much speculation defender
Bradley Orr, a firm favourite with the Ashton Gate faithful, has
signed-up for another two and a half years at Bristol City ... 08JAN09
Orr, who has been on the transfer
list since November last year, is reported to have previously rejected
a couple of contract offers from manager Gary Johnson whilst deciding
upon his future career.
"We're delighted he's staying" Gary
Johnson
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Above - Bradley
Orr celebrates with fans after reaching the Championship League
at Ashton Gate in May 2007 - photos (c) UNiCOM
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photo courtesy
Bristol Rugby
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Bracken leaves Bristol Rugby
... 07JAN09
By mutual agreement prop Peter
Bracken has left Bristol Rugby. He signed from London Wasps in the
summer of 2007 on a two year contract and went on to make 14 appearances
in total for the club.
Coach Richard Hill is quoted as
saying "Bracks is a lovely man and a very good player but it hasn't
really worked out for him here at Bristol ... So, we sat down with
him and decided that it would be in the best interests of both parties
to reach a mutual agreement and end his contract early."
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Newcastle
Stunned ...
Steve
Bates, Newcastle Falcons director of rugby struggles to understand
how his team could lose so badly to London Irish ...
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LONDON
IRISH 48 - NEWCASTLE
FALCONS 8 - 03JAN08
London
Irish stormed back to the top of the Guinness Premiership table
today leaving struggling Newcastle reeling in their wake.
The
seven try defeat sees the Falcons now firmly fixed at the bottom
of the league just 3 points above last placed Bristol Rugby.
MORE
Newcastle
and Bristol are scheduled to slog it out together in Round 13
... on Friday 13th of February! A date that surely must be lucky
for one of them?
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Tonga
Lea'aetoa on the charge as Newcastle stand dispirited, outclassed
and outpaced.
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photos
Andrew Tobin / UNiCOM
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16DEC08
Table
Tennis legend Desmond Douglas MBE was at Bristol's WISE Campus on
Tuesday tutoring Filton College students in the finer points of
the sport he made his own in the '70s and '80s.
The
14 times British Champion gave one-on-one coaching and advise to
players attending the Bristol Table Tennis Academy headed by his
former team-mate and English
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photo
(c) UNiCOM
International
player / coach Kevin Satchell.
“Desmond
Douglas is the best player Britain has ever produced and the most
recognised household name in table tennis. Watching him face-off
against our Academy players was a thrill for us all and an incredible
experience for the young players.” Satchell commented.
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NSC
ABC BOXING
Patchway
20NOV08
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photo
(c) Gary Bray / UNiCOM
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| The
National Smelters Co ABC recently hosted yet another
great night of amateur boxing ... this time at the Patchway Sports
Centre, Bristol. Photographer Pete Tiley captured all the action ...
see the results here
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Vainikolo
Case Adjourned
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Lesley Vainikolo put on a brave face today as he appeared at Bristol
Crown Court on crutches facing charges relating to a GBH incident
outside a nightclub in Bath last October.
Vainikolo's
legal advisors asked that the case be
adjourned until May to allow their client to "deal with sensitive
family matters" in New Zealand whilst he recovers from a serious
Achilles tendon injury. The Court duly granted the request.
However,
not everything went as planned. After the hearing the England
and Gloucester winger's huge Cadillac 4x4 failed to start as Mrs
V had flattened the vehicle's battery whilst waiting nearby to
drive him home. After phoning for roadside assistance, an hour
later the Caddy was jump started and the couple were finally able
to set off home to Cheltenham.
[below]
Stranded .. Vainikolo under the bonnet of his Caddy - photos Gary
Bray / UNiCOM
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David
Lemi Banned
Lemi
in action against Saracens earlier in the season
photo (c) Pete Tiley / Titan
Images
Bristol
Rugby Head Coach Richard Hill today [09JAN09]
confirmed
that the club have imposed a two week club ban on Samoan international
David Lemi.
Lemi was cited on Thursday for an alleged dangerous tackle on
Northampton Saints winger Paul Diggin and faces an RFU Disciplinary
Panel on Tuesday January 13th in London.
However, Bristol have reviewed the Northampton match DVD from
last weekend and taken their own action in advance of the hearing.
MORE
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Game
Over
PREMIERSHIP
SUNSET AT THE MEM?
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27DEC08
- photo (c) UNiCOM
BRISTOL
10 - GLOUCESTER 29
Relegation
clouds gathered today in earnest as Gloucester outscored their
hosts 4-1 on tries at the Memorial Ground in Bristol.
Described
by some as "a drubbing", Richard Hill's squad were brushed
aside by their visitors in a bonus point victory that secures
Gloucester 3rd place in the Guinness Premiership table.
MORE
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BR
 BY
As
basement Bristol continue their struggle in rugby's Guinness Premiership,
scrum half Shaun Perry has announced that his keen to renew his
position in the English national squad.
Shaun
Perry - photo (c) Pete Tiley
Having
recently returned from both throat and shoulder injuries, the
former international had his first team start for Bristol last
weekend during the club's18-13 defeat by London Irish at the Memorial
Ground.
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