WORCESTER Warriors director of rugby Dean Ryan admits he’s been watching Championship play-off rivals Bristol for the last nine months.

Ryan is not leaving anything to chance but says it is impossible to predict what will happen in the two legs of the final.

The first leg takes place at Ashton Gate tomorrow, with the second leg at Sixways on May 27 (both 7.45pm).

Ryan said: “You can’t map out what you think the play-offs will look like. It’s going to be a huge physical contest.

“We have to be ready for it and give ourselves the best chance of representing the club in the right way.”

He added: “We have been watching them for nine months.

“There are two pretty experienced and smart coaching teams and we are aware we’ve both been watched all the way through.

“It’s going to be a unique contest in the sense there has probably been as much research as I’ve ever done on a side over the longest period in my career.

“We know everything Bristol have done but it doesn’t mean to say we know everything they might do.”