Kyle Sinckler inspires Bristol to comeback bonus-point victory at Bath
Kyle Sinckler reacted to missing out on British and Irish Lions selection by delivering a dominant display as Gallagher Premiership leaders Bristol beat Bath 40-20 at the Recreation Ground. Bristol and England prop Sinckler was among several high-profile players overlooked by Warren Gatland and his fellow coaches for the Lions’ South Africa tour this summer.
But Sinckler responded to that setback with a man-of-the-match performance just 48 hours after discovering he had not made Gatland’s 37-man cut. Sinckler and his fellow forwards headlined the west country derby as Bristol confirmed a play-off place by fighting back from 15-0 adrift to triumph in bonus-point fashion.
Number eight Nathan Hughes and wing Max Malins scored either side of half-time, while there was also a penalty try, a further score from Malins and touchdowns for full-back Charles Piutau and flanker Ben Earl, with three conversions by fly-half Callum Sheedy and one by Ioan Lloyd.
Bath established a healthy lead through tries from Lions wing Anthony Watson, who finished with a double, and replacement fly-half Rhys Priestland, while Ben Spencer kicked a conversion and penalty – but they had no answer to Bristol’s relentless scrum power. And a miserable second half for Bath was completed when hooker Tom Dunn received a late red card.
Dunn, who was dismissed for a high shoulder-led hit to Bristol centre Semi Radradra’s head, is now facing a second ban of the season following his sending-off against London Irish in March. Full-back Tom de Glanville returned after injury for Bath, with Watson moving to the wing, and other changes included starts for centre Max Clark and lock Elliott Stooke.
“Do the tough stuff, get on with, it, use that anger…"
– Rejected Lions prop Kyle Sinckler wore his heart on his sleeve when he was interviewed on BT Sport following his man of the match display for Bristol at Bath??#BATvBRI #LionsRugby #Lions2021
https://t.co/sc0W8qiJBX— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 8, 2021
Sinckler, meanwhile, lined up in a Bristol team that saw his fellow England international Malins moved to the wing and star centre Radradra back from injury. Radradra was heavily involved in the early action as Bristol established a territorial foothold and he sparked a brilliant move that led to Malins touching down, but the Fijian’s pass that sent wing Luke Morahan clear was correctly ruled forward by referee Luke Pearce.
And Bath then struck against the run of play, with Watson winning the race following his own kick into Bristol’s 22-metre line and claiming a 12th-minute opener. If Bristol were rocked by that score, then worse to follow just two minutes later after Sheedy’s pass was intercepted by Bath replacement Priestland and the Wales international crossed unopposed.
Spencer’s conversion made it 12-0 and he extended Bath’s lead through a 30th-minute penalty as the home side put a hesitant opening well and truly behind them. Bristol knew they needed to open their account before half-time and they finally breached Bath’s defence when they drove a close-range line-out and Hughes touched down, with Sheedy converting.
The visitors thought they had a second try six minutes after the restart, but Morahan knocked on following a sweeping move and Sheedy’s cross-kick to an unmarked Hughes counted for nothing. Bristol were rebuilding momentum, though, and they cut the deficit when Pearce awarded them a penalty try after Bath’s scrum went backwards and home prop Juan Schoeman was sin-binned.
Bristol then sacrificed a kickable penalty, opting for a scrum instead, and it had the desired effect as slick passing creating enough space for Malins to score. Then Piutau crossed to secure a maximum points haul, ensuring a play-off spot for Pat Lam’s team with four games of the regular league season remaining.
Watson scored his second try 13 minutes from time with some impressive finishing, but Earl and Malins had the final words after Dunn departed as Bristol racked up their highest points total on Bath soil.
The @BristolBears train going full steam ahead ?
Excellent set-piece, driving Ben Earl to the line ?#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/XS0KxklrMk
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 8, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben 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.
19 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.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments