Rugby / Bristol Bears
Bears’ new European adventure begins with astonishing game against Clermont
In his programme notes before this game, Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam said that he “does not want us to be a club which gets into Europe and are happy to be in it. We have got to go after the star, go after the trophy.”
Bristol certainly went after Clermont Auvergne in this extremely entertaining game of flowing rugby which would have given neutrals watching live on Channel 4 even more reason to make the Bears their second team.
Bristol’s five tries were scored by five different players: Max Malins, Ben Byrne, Harry Randall, Ioan Lloyd and Siale Piutau, but bringing to mind Vindaloo by Fat Les in which they chant, “We’re gonna score one more than you,”, Clermont scored seven tries.
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The match ended in a 38-51 victory for the French side, with Bristol receiving a bonus point as Lloyd scored his team’s fourth try on 73 minutes, converted by Malins after Lloyd had replaced Sheedy.
It had been 12 years since Bristol last played in the Heineken Cup and after just seven minutes on Saturday afternoon, Lam’s men were 12-0 down at Ashton Gate.
There was a glimmer of hope in the second half as the Bears brought the gap back down to eight, but a hattrick from Kotaro Matsushima ensured victory for Clermont.
Harry Randall scores one of Bristol Bears’ five tries – photo: JMP
Randall’s score in the second half was the pick of his side’s tries – with the highlights reel of this game well worth watching.
Playing in their striking black and pink kit for the first time since their famous Challenge Cup victory in which he scored after just 15 seconds, here Randall crossed the line after skilfully picking the ball up from near near his ankles following a break from Max Malins down the left wing.
Semi Radradra may not have featured, but Bristol’s other Fijian flyer, Siva Naulago, made his debut with just over 20 minutes of the match to go.
Switching codes from Hull FC in the Super League, Naulago’s journey to Bristol has come via a stint in the British Army but he had a quiet debut at Ashton Gate as a bit-part player in an astonishing return to Heineken Cup action for Bristol.
Main photo: JMP
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