Blaney given chance to earn a deal with Bristol

[sheepshagger]

Bristol will hand former Leinster hooker David Blaney the chance to earn a season-long contract after discovering Neil Clark will be out for six months. Blaney, 27, who has Heineken Cup experience with the Irish province, will spend the rest of this week with Bristol and is likely to figure in their final pre-season friendly at Cardiff on Friday.

Clark yesterday discovered the knee injury he suffered at Neath last Friday was the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament Bristol's medical team had feared.

And with Saul Nelson suffering an ankle injury in the same match, head coach Richard Hill was left scratching his head for cover for first-choice Mark Regan.

He tried teenager Ryan Prosser and Dings Crusaders captain Paul Fincken in Monday's comfortable win over Ebbw Vale - but is likely to sign the more experienced Blaney if he makes a positive impression on Friday.

"(Bristol scrum-half) Brian O'Riordan knows David Blaney well from their time together at Leinster, and we have had some good recommendations," said Hill.

"He has agreed to come on a week's free trial training with us and he has made a good impression in training.

"If all goes well in the next couple of days, and he has a good 30 minutes or so against Cardiff, then there is a good chance we could contract him."

And Hill has urged Clark to look at team-mate Joe El Abd's example of how to recover from a serious knee injury.

"Joe did the same injury in the first game of my first season here - and he came back so much stronger for it," said Hill.

"Once Neil gets over the initial disappointment - and there will be major disappointment, because he has worked so hard this summer - he should look at how Joe came back so strongly and take heart from that."

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/displayN ... eId=144930

[Darce]

Bristol will hand former Leinster hooker David Blaney the chance to earn a season-long contract after discovering Neil Clark will be out for six months. Blaney, 27, who has Heineken Cup experience with the Irish province, will spend the rest of this week with Bristol and is likely to figure in their final pre-season friendly at Cardiff on Friday.

Clark yesterday discovered the knee injury he suffered at Neath last Friday was the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament Bristol's medical team had feared.

And with Saul Nelson suffering an ankle injury in the same match, head coach Richard Hill was left scratching his head for cover for first-choice Mark Regan.

He tried teenager Ryan Prosser and Dings Crusaders captain Paul Fincken in Monday's comfortable win over Ebbw Vale - but is likely to sign the more experienced Blaney if he makes a positive impression on Friday.

"(Bristol scrum-half) Brian O'Riordan knows David Blaney well from their time together at Leinster, and we have had some good recommendations," said Hill.

"He has agreed to come on a week's free trial training with us and he has made a good impression in training.

"If all goes well in the next couple of days, and he has a good 30 minutes or so against Cardiff, then there is a good chance we could contract him."

And Hill has urged Clark to look at team-mate Joe El Abd's example of how to recover from a serious knee injury.

"Joe did the same injury in the first game of my first season here - and he came back so much stronger for it," said Hill.

"Once Neil gets over the initial disappointment - and there will be major disappointment, because he has worked so hard this summer - he should look at how Joe came back so strongly and take heart from that."

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/displayN ... eId=144930

Focking Uncle Tom.

[Duff Paddy]

A guy as small as David Blaney could get hurt playing front row in the GP - they breed them big over there

[El Diablo]

Good luck to him. We're going to have some job keeping track of the Leinster ex-pats next season ffs. Maybe a thread in this section to keep an eye on who's doing well.

[Mauler]

Rubbish ... did the Mullet not say that the CL / ML was more physical than the GP .... your believing the Sky Sports Hype!

[McCloud]

Rubbish ... did the Mullet not say that the CL / ML was more physical than the GP .... your believing the Sky Sports Hype!

That's what the man said alright.

[Eve]

Good luck to him

[Duke Raoul]

Bristol Rugby have acted swiftly to bolster their hooking resources with fomer Leinster hooker David Blaney joining for the rest of the 2006-7 season.

Bristol looked well set at the position going into preseason but Saul Nelson went over on his ankle against Neath and was swiftly followed onto the injury list by Neil Clark with a torn ACL.

Bristol went into the next friendly, at Coventry, with first choice Mark Regan backed up by Academy prospect Ryan Prosser.

Blaney was swiftly recommended by his former Leinster team mate Brian O'Riordan and was on a plane within hours making a replacement appearance at Cardiff last Friday.

A former Ireland U21 international, he played for Leinster 45 times and has settled in quickly at Bristol according to Head Coach Richard Hill.

"David has come in and slotted in really well. His attitude has been superb. Signing him for the year is a good deal as far as we are concerned and we consider ourselves very fortunate to have picked up someone of his quality at this last stage."

"He has made a good impression, he has had another good week this week, and we feel he has a great attitude - he has certainly fitted straight in."

"Everyone I have spoken to about David, from Brian O'Riordan to coaches who have played against Leinster, have only had positive things to say about him. The feedback on him has only been good, and we are confident he will be more than an able understudy to Mark Regan."