Bristol Bears hunt down first win of the season
Bristol condemned west country rivals Bath to a third successive Gallagher Premiership defeat of the season as they triumphed 25-20 at Ashton Gate.
The Bears, Premiership semi-finalists in each of the last two seasons, had started the campaign with two defeats but a second-half rally saw them home from nine points adrift.
A penalty try and touchdown from replacement hooker Jake Kerr erased Bath’s advantage, leaving the visitors to reflect on their worst start to a Premiership season since 2005.
Bristol claimed a first-half try by captain Steven Luatua, while fly-half Callum Sheedy kicked two penalties and a conversion as they climbed off the Premiership basement.
Wing Will Muir scored two tries for Bath and there was also a touchdown by Semesa Rokoduguni, with fly-half Orlando Bailey adding a penalty and conversion, yet a losing bonus point will not have masked their frustration.
Bristol prop Kyle Sinckler became the first of England’s British and Irish Lions in South Africa this summer to make a Premiership return.
Sinckler was among eight changes to the Bristol team crushed by Wasps last weekend, with rugby director Pat Lam also calling up the likes of centre Sam Bedlow, scrum-half Harry Randall, lock Joe Joyce and flanker Jake Heenan.
Bath were bolstered by lock Josh McNally’s return following a shoulder injury, while prop Will Stuart made a first appearance since May and Tom Ellis featured in the back row.
Sinckler made his presence felt just seven minutes into the contest, exerting sufficient pressure that his opposite number Beno Obano collapsed a scrum and Sheedy kicked the resulting penalty from 48 metres out.
Bath then went close from their first attack, but skipper Charlie Ewels knocked on close to Bristol’s line and the home side were handed a reprieve.
It did not last long, though, as Bath went ahead through a 17th-minute try for Muir, who cut back inside on a sharp angle and brushed off some weak tackling to claim a try that Bailey converted.
England head coach Eddie Jones looked on as Bristol struggled for fluency, and Bath deservedly extended their advantage 13 minutes before the break when Bailey kicked a short-range penalty.
Bristol desperately needed some inspiration and it arrived on cue from their captain Luatua, who showed a turn of speed inside Bath’s 22 before throwing a dummy pass and touching down unopposed.
Sheedy failed to land the conversion, yet Bristol were back in the contest as half-time approached.
But Bath added a second try, after centre Max Ojomoh’s effort was disallowed following a knock-on, when flanker Sam Underhill found Rokoduguni with a brilliant pass to make it 15-8 at the break.
Rokoduguni began the second period by putting his team under pressure when he committed a high tackle inside his own 22, handing Bristol a strong attacking platform.
Although the home side could not register a try, they collected points when Sheedy kicked a penalty to cut the deficit to four midway through the third quarter.
Bath, though, collected a third try after 52 minutes when Muir finished superbly following outstanding approach play by his colleagues that included sharp work from Ojomoh after a clever kick into space by Bailey.
It looked promising for the visitors, but Bristol responded when referee Ian Tempest awarded them a penalty for Bath pulling down a maul as the home pack drove relentlessly from close range, with Ellis also sin-binned.
Ellis’ team-mate Tom Dunn then also collected a yellow card and Bristol immediately punished their opponents through Kerr’s clinching try, and they held on despite late Bath pressure.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments