Radradra weaves his magic as Bristol stroll to semi-final spot
Bristol Bears 56 Dragons 17
Semi Radradra was signed by Bristol to help them win silverware and he took Pat Lam’s men one step closer to that goal by sending them into a Challenge Cup semi-final.
This was a Bears display which peaked and troughed, but in Radradra there is no doubt the men from Ashton Gate have one of the best rugby players on the planet.
In the end this was a blowout as Bristol continued what is becoming a useful habit of scoring quick tries in spurts.
In the first half, Fijian superstar Radradra created two scores for England flanker Ben Earl in just two minutes, as he stamped his undoubted class on the game.
Radradra also scored a sensational try of his own after Nathan Hughes had opened their scoring. Callum Sheedy ended up with 21 points. In the final stages, Chris Vui, Max Malins and Dan Thomas all crossed in a three-minute burst of tries. Bristol will play either Edinburgh or Bordeaux in the semi-final. Bristol director of rugby Lam said: “That’s what the marquee ruling is all about. You want to bring in players like Semi. We all appreciate his moments of magic but, for me, the selfless hard yards he makes are even more special.
“We don’t know if it will be Edinburgh or Bordeaux, both would be tough, but we have the ability to score in bursts with how we play.”
Earl and Radradra were the game’s outstanding performers and the former added: “It’s unbelievable some of the things Semi can do. You think you’re running a useless line and somehow he still gets the ball to you. It’s a lot of fun. The team is very thankful he’s here.”
Dragons managed to cross the line twice, with tries from Ashton Hewitt and former Bristol scrumhalf Rhodri Williams, but they could not live with Bristol on the night, with coach Dean Ryan conceding: “Semi is world-class, but it’s the reaction to his moments we have to look at. There is not a lot you can do to stop him doing what he does, but there is so much more we can do to stay in games.”
Scores 0-3 Davies pen; 0-8 Hewitt try; 0-10 Davies con; 5-10 Hughes try; 7-10 Sheedy con; 12-10 Earl try; 14-10 Sheedy con; 19-10 Earl try; 21-10 Sheedy con; 24-10 Sheedy pen; 29-10 Radradra try; 31-10 Sheedy con; 31-15 Williams try; 31-17 Davies con; 34-17 Sheedy pen; 37-17 Sheedy pen; 42-17 Vui try; 44-17 Sheedy con; 49-17 Malins try; 51-17 Sheedy con; 56-17 Thomas try.