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Bristol give winger Short shrift after joining rivals
ESPN Staff
January 29, 2015
Bristol coach Andy Robinson has ostracised winger Andy Short after he joined promotion rivals Worcester © Getty Images
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Bristol director of rugby Andy Robinson has told his winger Andy Short to steer clear of the club for the rest of the season after he revealed he was jumping ship to promotion rivals Worcester Warriors at the end of the current campaign.

23-year-old Short isn't allowed to take part in training or team meetings after he confirmed he was heading back to Sixways.

Bristol and Worcester are currently first and second in the second-tier Championship and are likely to meet over two legs in the play-off final at the end of the season. In light of this, Robinson wants unconditional commitment to the Bristol cause and doesn't believe Short can provide this.

"We all have choices to make in our lives - Andy has made his choice and he's perfectly within his rights to make the choice he's made," Robinson said. "But that puts us in a position where he might be 100 per cent in terms of his body and being there on the field - but can he really be 100 per cent in his mind?

"I don't want to put him in that position, but also I don't want the rest of the squad asking that question, because I think it can undermine what you do. So we've made the decision and I think it helps everybody understand what we're here for. We want guys who are completely focused to dominate the challenge that we're going to face in the play-offs."

When asked whether Short would play for the club again, Robinson said: "He's signed for Worcester, so no..... He's not involved at all."

The club are said to be looking into loan options for the winger.

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