Bristol no longer in pole position

Defeat to Dragons has handed over the advantage

Having lost away to the Dragons last week Bristol coach Richard Hill insists the Welsh region are now firm favourites to qualify for the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals as Pool One winners.

Bristol will play host to Bucuresti while the Dragons have to travel to Bayonne in France, for this the last round of pool matches.

"You would have to say they have edged in front of us and are favourites to go through at the moment," said Hill.

"We would hope to get a bonus point in our home game against Bucuresti and it will be slightly more difficult for the Dragons to go away to Bayonne and get five points.

"Getting a home draw in the quarter-finals is really important, no-one wants to go away to places like Saracens, Bath or Clermont Auvergne, so getting a home draw makes a massive difference."

Hill admits that getting into next year's Heineken Cup was not a target he set his side at the start of the season, but now they are top of the Guinness Premiership and still in contention in the European Challenge Cup he admits they will have to re-set those targets.

"Finishing 5th to 8th in the Premiership was our target at the start of the season, but we will have to sit down at the end of the month and set our sights a bit higher," said Hill.

"It has been an excellent season so far, none of us would have expected to be where we are in the Premiership.

"We have won games by working very hard for each other and we all have to be playing very well, so from that point of view losing to the Dragons was a good reminder."