Bristol Bears 51-26 Gloucester Rugby: Ellis Genge stars in big win for hosts in West Country derby
/dnl.tntsports.co.uk/sd/img/placeholder/tnt_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 02/12/2023 at 20:40 GMT
Bristol and Gloucester faced off on Saturday afternoon knowing a win against their West Country rivals would be more important than ever as both sides look to forge clear of the basement of the Gallagher Premiership and snap their five-game losing streaks. And it was the hosts who emerged victorious, with England prop and player-of-the-match Ellis Genge one of the architects of a dominant display.
‘Randall lighting fireworks’ – Bristol scrum-half ‘deepens Gloucester gloom’ with superb score
Video credit: TNT Sports
A brace from Harry Randall in addition to scores from Max Malins, Ellis Genge, Fitz Harding, Joe Batley, and Harry Thacker gave Bristol their biggest-ever win against West Country rivals Gloucester.
With his score in the 71st minute, Thacker overtook David Lemi to become Bristol’s highest-ever Gallagher Premiership try-scorer.
Louis Rees-Zammit gave Gloucester a lifeline before the end of a despondent first half with his first try, and went on to score a second in the 53rd minute.
Replacement prop Jamal Ford-Robinson additionally bagged a brace which secured a try bonus point for the visitors, and he came up clutch once again for the Cherry and Whites.
But Gloucester’s second-half resurgence was swiftly quashed as Bristol turned the screw once more and George Skivington’s side remain in ninth place in the Gallagher Premiership table.
Bristol move up into seventh from eighth ahead of Leicester Tigers, who have a game in hand.
Next week eyes turn to Europe as Bristol host Lyon in the Investec Champions Cup while Gloucester travel to Georgia to face Black Lion in the Challenge Cup in search of a much-needed victory.
Talking point - A record-breaking day for Bristol Bears
A classy performance at Ashton Gate gave Bristol their largest win over the Cherry and Whites. The record was surpassed in 49th minute with Callum Sheedy’s conversion after Batley’s try to take the points tally to 41.
In 2002 the record had been set with 40 points, but Bristol still had a further 10 points in the tank before the full-time whistle this time around.
Thacker’s try saw him move into the top spot as Bristol’s leading Premiership try-scorer (35) after five years at the club, moving ahead of David Lemi (34).
Bristol’s win was their first since the second round, and gave them a momentum boost before they face Lyon in their first game of the Investec Champions Cup.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2023/12/02/3836539-77963708-2560-1440.jpg)
‘Hard to imagine how life could be tougher for Gloucester’ – Dominant Bristol score fourth try
Video credit: TNT Sports
Player of the match - Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Bristol’s Baby Rhino was key in both their attacking and defending phases and scored a cleverly worked try in the 18th minute.
While Bristol impressed with the victory, Genge was disappointed to have let Gloucester travel the short journey home with a point.
"We're happy, just a bit gutted that we gave them a point," he said after the match. "That's probably our downfall at the moment, scoring points isn't the issue for us, it's conceding them.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2023/12/02/3836745-77967828-2560-1440.jpg)
Genge 'a bit gutted' to allow Gloucester bonus point after big Bristol win
Video credit: TNT Sports
"Not that our D is bad, we just switch off at key moments. I'm a bit upset about giving them a point but I'm a bit of a pessimist in that sense so I'm always going to be that.
"We spoke in the week about why, and for me a local lad, being Bristolian, I love seeing all of the kids genuinely get behind the team. We want to make them proud, and obviously losing games, you can still support a team, but we want them on their feet and hopefully we did that for them today.
"It's only one game. It's a bit of a cliché obviously that you take it one game at a time. We've solely been focussing on this Premiership block. We'll have a look at Lyon this week - what a brilliant side they are. They're coming to our place where we've just scored a lot of tries, and hopefully we take that into next week. First things first we're going to enjoy this moment."
Player ratings
Bristol XV: Malins 9, Ibitoye 8, Vakatawa 8, Janse van Rensburg 8, Sheedy 9, Randall 9; Genge 9, Thacker 9, Sinckler 8, Dun 8, Batley 9, Luatua 8, Thomas 8, Harding (capt.) 9.
Replacements: Oghre 8, Woolmore 8, Kloska 8, Caulfield 8, Heenan 8, Marmion 8, Williams 8, Ravouvou 8.
Gloucester XV: Evans 4, Rees-Zammit 6, Llewellyn 5, Atkinson 4, Thorley 4, Carreras 4, Varney 4; Vivas 3, Socino 4, Balmain 4, Clark 4, Alemanno 4, Ackermann 3, Ludlow (capt.) 4, Clement 4
Replacements: McGuigan 4, Elrington 4, Ford-Robinson 6, Clarke 4, Donnel 4l, Young (n/a), Hillman-Cooper 4, Hathaway 4.
Match highlights
- 10’- Max Malins scores the first try
Max Malins gets the first try of the match! Bristol win the turnover at the scrum before Virimi Vakatawa puts in a perfect grubber for the fullback to dive on across the line just before he runs out of space.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2023/12/02/3836506-77963048-2560-1440.jpg)
‘Cold hands but sharp minds’ – Malins dives onto Vakatawa grubber to put Bristol ahead
Video credit: TNT Sports
- 18’ - Ellis Genge scores Bristol’s second
Genge gets over the line! A massive effort from the forwards and it's Genge who powers over with two defenders clinging to him. He spots a weakness in the defence with Varney - who is significantly smaller - in front of him and picks an effective line. Clever play from the Baby Rhino there.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2023/12/02/3836528-77963488-2560-1440.jpg)
Genge powers over try line for Bristol – ‘No chance of stopping the baby rhino’
Video credit: TNT Sports
- 39’ - Louis Rees-Zammit gives Gloucester a lifeline before half-time
And they manage to get something from their first entry to the 22! Rees-Zammit bounces off of Sheedy before working his way to underneath the posts where he nudges the ball across the line. Not the usual way we've seen the Welsh winger score, but it's a slight lifeline for the visiting team nonetheless!
Half time - Bristol 29-7 Gloucester
- 40’ - Harry Randall scores for a second time within seconds of the half starting
Only seconds in and Randall scores an absolute beauty! Bristol earn the penalty turnover and Randall goes running. He launches the ball skyward and gathers it perfectly to set the tempo early on in the second half. A classy start from the scrum-half, who is now the captain as Harding has been replaced by Josh Caulfield.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2023/12/02/3836561-77964148-2560-1440.jpg)
‘Randall lighting fireworks’ – Bristol scrum-half ‘deepens Gloucester gloom’ with superb score
Video credit: TNT Sports
- 67’ - Jamal Ford-Robinson gives Gloucester the try bonus point
Gloucester have a bonus point! It's Ford-Robinson again who dots down, proving vital in key moments for Gloucester. He drives over the line from short range to give them a fourth. Much better play here from the visitors, who have done very well to start to turn the tables.
- 71’ - Harry Thacker adds his name to the history books with Bristol’s seventh try
Thacker becomes Bristol's highest-ever Premiership try-scorer! They make use of their one-man advantage and Thacker peels off at the maul to take the record and overtake David Lemi.
Full time - Bristol Bears 51 - 26 Gloucester
Key stat
Bristol Bears made 134 post-contact metres compared to Gloucester’s 83, and made 489 total metres to 288.
Share this article
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement