Hill out to avoid two-legged final hoodoo

For Warriors head coach Richard Hill, though, the unusual format is fast-becoming ten-a-penny.

For the second year running, Hill is posied to lead a side into a home-and-away battle for promotion.

However, the former England scrum-half is hoping for a much better outcome this time around after suffering final heart-ache in France.

Prior to joining Warriors, Hill was head coach of French third division outfit Chalon-sur-Saône and he led them to the verge of promotion, before being edged out over two legs by St Etienne.

He explained: “I was involved in a two-legged game last year in France — it didn’t go well.

“I was with the team that played all the rugby against St Etienne, who had an outside-half that didn’t pass the ball and just kicked.

“It was a bizarre game because, if he was in drop-goal range, he would have a go. If the ball went dead, we would drop-out, then he would catch it and drop another goal.

“If you are playing against a team that doesn’t play rugby it is hard.

“That is what we are trying to impress on the players and it is a bit like Exeter against Bristol last year in the Championship play-off final.

“Bristol were a bit like us — they played all the rugby, while Exeter were very sensible and kicked to the corners and took the goals.

“That is knock-out cup rugby and we are trying to educate the players into that mode of thinking. It is not our natural way of thinking — our natural game is to try and get the ball to Marcel Garvey or Miles Benjamin and our quick runners.”

He added: “For Pirates’ last game at Penzance — the semi-final against London Welsh — it was miserable and raining, while we had glorious sunshine.

“That could happen — we could go and it could be grim weather and windy.

“We have got to go, perhaps, with the mindset of not having a pretty game, but just to win.”

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