Ben Earl delivers powerful statement to Eddie Jones as Bristol destroy Dragons
Bristol produced some scintillating rugby to destroy the Dragons 56-17 at Ashton Gate and book a European Challenge Cup semi-final place – flanker Ben Earl delivered a powerful statement to watching England head coach Eddie Jones with two memorable first-half tries that continued his rich vein of form as the autumn Tests countdown continues.
Bristol’s Fijian centre Semi Radradra was also too hot for the Dragons to handle, setting up both of Earl’s tries through audacious approach play and adding a 60-metre score of his own. Bristol will face Bordeaux – Radradra’s former club – or Edinburgh in a home semi-final next Friday, and they could take some stopping.
The Dragons held a ten-point lead early on after wing Ashton Hewitt touched down and Sam Davies kicked a conversion and penalty, but Earl’s opener stirred Bristol into a try blitz of three in six minutes.
N08 Nathan Hughes claimed the first, then Earl added a quickfire double and the combined effect left Bristol with one foot in the last-four before lock Chris Vui and substitutes Max Malins and Dan Thomas crossed late on. Fly-half Callum Sheedy kicked 21 points from three penalties and six conversions, and a Rhodri Williams try that Davies converted was all the Dragons could produce following their early onslaught.
Bristol showed 14 changes from the side beaten by Premiership rivals Wasps last weekend, including starts for major summer arrivals Radradra, Earl and Kyle Sinckler. Dragons boss Dean Ryan, meanwhile, handed debuts to Wales international backs Jamie Roberts and Jonah Holmes, with full-back Jordan Williams featuring against his former club following eleven months out injured.
As if Semi Radradra wasn't going to get in on the act himself 🙌
Two players to beat in the open field and he barely breaks a sweat! So good from the @BristolBears star!#ChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/tjF8VSYZ4E
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) September 18, 2020
Jones, British and Irish Lions supremo Warren Gatland and Wales boss Wayne Pivac all looked on as the Dragons made an impressive start. Bristol found themselves under pressure in terms of territory, and the Dragons deservedly went ahead through a Davies penalty after Charles Piutau dithered in defence.
And matters quickly deteriorated for the Bristol full-back, who was again found out, this time by Hewitt, who bounced off his feeble attempted tackle and touched down after collecting Davies’ cross-kick. Davies added the conversion for a 10-0 lead after 13 minutes, and Bristol needed to regroup quickly following a powerful statement of intent from their opponents.
Bristol needed a spark from somewhere, and wing Luke Morahan provided it, carving open the Dragons defence before the ball was quickly recycled and Vui sent Hughes over. Sheedy’s conversion cut the gap to three points before Radradra took centrestage by creating a try for Earl four minutes later, then repeating it from Bristol’s next attack.
A third touch down during a dazzling six-minute spell arrived when Radradra’s off-load put Earl clear, and the England international side-stepped Jordan Williams to round off a move of breathtaking quality. Sheedy converted and then kicked a penalty as Bristol surged 14 points clear, consigning their early struggles to something from a bygone age.
The Dragons were unsurprisingly left shell-shocked by Bristol’s brilliance, but they managed to stop them pulling further away before half-time as the home side took a 24-10 interval advantage. Just two minutes into the second period, though, and Radradra played havoc with them, this time doing it all himself after collecting Sheedy’s pass and leaving Dragons defenders floundering.
Sheedy’s conversion took Bristol past 30 points, yet the Dragons showed plenty of character and hit back through a Rhodri Williams try that Davies converted. But two more Sheedy penalties kept Bristol comfortably ahead, then they finished with a flourish through three further touch downs and emphatically underlined their status as Challenge Cup favourites.
"I definitely believe I wouldn't be the player I am if I hadn't been told from a young age I was too small"@harry_thacker talks @BristolBears , Pat Lam, leaving Leicester Tigers & the difference it makes when someone believes in you, with @heagneyl 👨💻https://t.co/xZh0FnE9p1
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 13, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Beautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to comments