Bristol Bears 36-27 Newcastle Red Bulls result - Bears survive stunning late fight from Newcastle Red Bulls to clinch win

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Ashton Gate Stadium / 27.12.2025

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17:16

BRISTOL BEARS SURVIVE STUNNING NEWCASTLE CHALLENGE TO CLINCH SIX-TRY WIN

It was always going to be try-fest at Ashton Gate. Bristol Bears were fresh off a dominant party-spoiling win over Harlequins at Allianz Stadium and eager for more.

Newcastle Red Bulls were desperate for not only a first win, but a first point in the Gallagher PREM all season.

They did not clinch the win, but they did come away with a point, a well-deserved bonus point.

They almost came away with more after Kalaveti Ravouvou was sent to the sin-bin two minutes from time and Bristol were further reduced to 13 players.

Newcastle surged to the line and scored a try with a minute left on the clock, but one of the preceding phases saw Cammy Hutchison knock the ball on as he scrambled towards the posts, and heartbreak set in as it was chalked off.

The game had ended as it started, however, with Newcastle on top. They raced out to a 10-point lead in the opening 15 minutes with two beautifully-worked tries. The second of which was a sublime finish from wing Oli Spencer.

It was a game encapsulated by the purple patches of flair and creativity that Bristol are known for. They may not control a game for its entirety, but sometimes all they need is 10 minutes of attacking brilliance to edge a win their way.

'Irresistible Welsh feet!' LRZ restores Bristol lead with second slicing try

Video credit: TNT Sports

They struck back after Newcastle's openers to take a two-point lead, but the visitors hit back for a third try and went into the break with a deserved five-point lead.

Three points from Brett Connon extended the lead three minutes into the half until Noah Heward scored a stunning try for the hosts. Spencer responded quickly with his second and Newcastle were sitting nicely with another 10-point lead in the 50th minute.

At that stage, Newcastle were ahead by 10. By the 61st, they trailed by nine. A 19-point swing from Bristol courtesy of three tries cemented their control.

Louis Rees-Zammit scored his second, solidifying his new position of full-back with yet another wonderful performance from the Wales international. Elsewhere, Ellis Genge and Gabriel Oghre bulldozed their way around the pitch.

In the end, those 10 minutes were all Bristol needed. After it elapsed, Joe Batley was sent off for a 20-min red card and Ravouvou later joined him.

Newcastle could not crack the Bears like they had in the first half, and Pat Lam's side shot up to second in the table.

16:53

NEWCASTLE DESERVE THEIR FLOWERS

It was a night of beautiful slicing carries from Moroni and LRZ, and bulldozing moments from Genge and Oghre, but Newcastle Falcons were brilliant in the first half and the latter part of the second.

Bears just had their purple patch midway through the second, and put Newcastle to the sword in a 10-minute period.

80'

FULL-TIME! BRISTOL BEARS 36-27 NEWCASTLE RED BULLS

It's a penalty won by Genge at the ruck and they take a tap and kick it out. What late drama at the Gate, wow.

Newcastle take a single bonus point, their first point of the season. But my god, they had this win within their grasps and they will be gutted.

Louis Rees-Zammit was phenomenal, but Ellis Genge was just the most impactful person on the pitch by a mile.

79'

NO TRY! HEARTBREAK FOR RED BULLS

Absolute heartbreak for Newcastle! They thought they had a try and a chance to take the lead after, but a knock-on from Cammy Hutchison right before they scored crosses it off.

Just, heartbreaking.

77'

YELLOW CARD! RAVOUVOU!

Hold on... is this possible? Ravouvou makes a deliberate knock-on and with a sin-bin for the Fijian, Bears now have 13.

What a chance for Newcastle.

77'

TIME RUNNING OUT FOR NEWCASTLE

Time is running out for the visitors to clinch a second bonus point, a win seems just out of their hands with three minutes on the clock, but they could grab a late try.

70'

GENGE PLAYING WORLD-CLASS RUGBY

Ellis Genge is just playing world-class, out of his skin rugby right now.

He makes another insane carry through the middle and Bears almost score from the ensuing phase but just can't get over the line.

Genge just so, ridiculously, insanely damaging.

66'

20-MINUTE RED CARD!

Joe Batley can't have much to complain about there. Really reckless challenge and dumb decision as he just puts a shoulder in at the ruck.

Bristol now down a man until the end of the game.

Newcastle have to take advantage of that.

63'

INCREDIBLE NEWCASTLE DEFENCE!

Alarm bells are ringing. Rich Lane has his first touch of the ball and bursts down the blindside, he passes inside to Wolstenholme and somehow the replacement nine is stopped right at the try-line!

Red Bulls somehow clear from behind their try-line, but their dam is breaking and they're leaking now.

62'

TRY! OGHRE! BRISTOL 36-27 NEWCASTLE

And Bristol firmly in control now and Newcastle are breaking down.

A powerful maul lets Oghre sit at the back and control the push, and he dots down after the backs join and break the Red Bull's resistance.

Oghre and Genge are just dominating the gainline.

57'

TRY! REES-ZAMMIT! BRISTOL 29-27 NEWCASTLE

Bristol have their lead back and now the game really gets challenging for Red Bulls. Can they match this intensity now?

Newcastle fly out the line and Zammit skips past one tackle and steps another. Safe to say LRZ at 15 has been successful.

He scores his second, Jordan adds the two and Bris have the lead.

54'

ALMOST A 50-22

Moroni almost makes an excellent 50-22, but the ruck was just inside the Newcastle half and passed back deep.

Excellent boot though and Bristol have an attacking platform after a less-than average Newcastle clearance.

51'

TRY! RAVOUVOU! BRISTOL 22-27 NEWCASTLE

It's raining tries now at the Gate and Bristol have their second of the half in five minutes.

It's a messy lineout, but they regather and Ellis Genge makes an unbelievable carry through the middle. And Jordan organises his backline and Moroni fires a crisp pass out towards Ravouvou.

Incredible example of how Bears can strike from anywhere, anytime.

Jordan misses the extras again, however...

47'

TRY! SPENCER! BRISTOL 17-27 NEWCASTLE

Wow, just like that Newcastle restore their lead. So, so impressive in all areas today.

Spencer scores his second after Arnold breaks through the centre, and Newcastle hit wide quickly from the ensuing ruck and Spencer scores in the corner again.

It's a fourth try, and their first bonus point of the season!

45'

TRY! HEWARD! BRISTOL 17-20 NEWCASTLE

And there it is. Bristol were always going to fire up in the opening few minutes of the second half. Excellent backline move from the Bears after some heavy phase work from Mata.

Jordan slides out wide and ships to Oghre, who quickly moves back inside to a pacey Heward and he glides over.

43'

PENALTY! BRISTOL 12-20 NEWCASTLE

Really smart from Newcastle throwing everything into this opening stanza and taking the points.

Bristol are no doubt going to get back into this so extending the lead whenever possible is vital.

40'

KICK-OFF!

Bris get us back underway at the Gate, what do they have in store for us?

15:58

CAN NEWCASTLE TAKE THE WIN FROM HERE?

It's another excellent first-half showing from Newcastle, but they have a challenging 40 minutes ahead of them at the Gate.

Bristol will be fired up after a chastening half-time talk from Pat Lam.

'The predatory Puma!' - Moroni slices through Newcastle as Bears roar back at Ashton Gate

Video credit: TNT Sports

15:50

WATCH: HERE'S THAT INCREDIBLE FINISH FROM SPENCER

'Spectacular finish!' - Spencer makes sublime dive for Newcastle's second score

Video credit: TNT Sports

40'

HALF-TIME! BRISTOL 12-17 NEWCASTLE

The Red Bulls take a five-point lead into the sheds with three first-half tries and a superb defensive performance. Newcastle have been on top for the majority, with Bristol bursting through their gaps in fleeting moments.

LRZ has been on fire from fullback, as has Moroni, but Newcastle controlling the tie up front with the pack.

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