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Search forWe're up for the battle, says Bristol's Shaun Perry
Thursday, November 20, 2008, 22:05
Bristol claimed their first league win of the new season when they came from behind to beat Northampton 14-13 on Sunday, with scrum-half Perry producing a match-changing cameo from the bench.
The 30-year-old is back on the bench for this evening's derby at Gloucester after head coach Richard Hill ruled he was not yet fit enough to start after three months out with a shoulder injury.
But the England man is likely to play a big role in Bristol's fight for Premiership survival – and is buoyed by the challenges that lie ahead.
"Bristol is not a club for flamsy-pansy – it's all about hard work and hard graft here. That's what I love about the club," said Perry.
"The support is there, it's a great city to live in and everyone is tight-knit. It's great to be involved in a club like this.
"Of course we know it's going to be hard work, you can't say it's not, but we've got the players, staff, coaches and facilities to thrive – and I think as a team we will do.
"There is a battle ahead, but also don't forget we are only six games into the Premiership. If we win all our remaining games we'll be in the top four!
"I think our players were up even before we beat Northampton. We're not the sort of club that's going to get down and disheartened about things. It was nice to get that first win, but we've long moved on to thinking about this week's game."
Perry will come up against either 19-year-old rookie Dave Lewis or the even less experienced Jordi Pasqualin, 18, if he is brought off the bench this evening.
But the former Coventry man, who had no Premiership experience when he arrived at Bristol in 2005, will not go into the match with any preconceived ideas about his potential opposite numbers.
"You have got your individual battles – and if everyone wins those then you should come off the pitch having won," he said.
"And while you could say their scrum-halves are inexperienced, to be playing for Gloucester at 19 means you've got to be a great player.
"You can't go in there thinking that you are the better player – you've got to take it as another Premiership player who must be doing his job well to have been selected for a side like Gloucester. You've got to do the same analysis on Dave Lewis as you would on Gareth Cooper or Rory Lawson."
Perry's 27-minute outing five days ago has whetted his appetite for further action after he was injured in the opening minutes of Bristol's first pre-season friendly in August and then needed shoulder surgery.
And having suffered a fractured windpipe midway through last season, Perry has made just eight competitive appearances in 2008.
"I haven't had much rugby in the last year, so it was good to get out on the pitch, because that's what you train for," said Perry.
"Being on the bench, you never know what's going to happen. Players could get injured and you could end up playing 70 minutes or they could play well and you could end up with 10.
"I enjoyed my half-hour against Northampton and if I can get the same against Gloucester that will be great.
"I'm just looking forward to getting there, being on the bench and hopefully coming on."
Full-back Luke Arscott and prop Darren Crompton return to the Bristol side for tonight's trip to Kingsholm, with Vunga Lilo and the injured Jason Hobson missing out.
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