Hooker Ross Johnston eyes chance to make up for BristolRugby’s slip to Moseley

HOOKER Ross Johnston is eager for Bristol to complete a quick double over teams who beat them earlier in the season when they host Moseley on Friday.

Johnston grabbed the bonus-point-clinching fourth try as Bristol beat Rotherham 37-3 on Sunday, helping the Championship leaders to avenge their 44-6 drubbing at Clifton Lane in October.

That defeat in Yorkshire was followed by a surprise 33-27 defeat at Moseley – and Bristol will complete an impressive record of having beaten every team in the Championship at least once this season if they can see off Kevin Maggs' side on Friday.

Johnston said: "We don't want to lose to anybody twice in the league. It's a big opportunity for us now – we played Rotherham on Sunday and Moseley are up next, so half the job is done in that respect.

"We have to focus on each game at a time, and there are potentially 13 games left, so we need just want to concentrate on each game individually. We need to keep learning from our mistakes and gradually improving each week. I think we are doing that."

Bristol were comfortable and confident winners against Rotherham, scoring five tries against Andre Bester's weakened side, with Johnston, Will Helu, Fautua Otto, James Merriman and Jack Tovey getting on the scoresheet. But the Welshman said his team will still be wary of Rotherham if they meet them in the play-offs – with Sunday's victory still not completely erasing the pain of their hammering at Clifton Lane.

"We knew Sunday's game was going to be a big challenge for us after the embarrassing performance up there in the league last time," said Johnston.

"It was a big game for us and we knew we owed Rotherham a big game – and the way the boys went out and the manner in which they played was very clinical. The work-rate from all the boys was awesome and you can't fault it. But it certainly doesn't make up for what happened up there – you can't just forget a performance like that; it hurts when you think about it. That's what we focused on last week – reflecting on how we felt after the game up there and trying to put things right.

"We certainly won't forget about that and we'll remember how we felt and keep it in our mind in case we meet them again in the play-offs."

Bristol are still yet to officially confirm the signing of flanker Redford Pennycook from Newcastle, although an announcement is understood to be imminent.