Late penalty try keeps Bears on the title trail
ALL eyes were on Fijian man mountain Semi Radradra making his debut for Bristol – but he had to wait until the 76th minute to turn something of a disappointing start into a bit-part role in the decisive penalty try.
The exciting new signing from Bordeaux hardly got a look in until he added his immense bulk to the lineout drive which enabled the Bears to scavenge victory while Saracens skipper Jamie George was yellowcarded.
Radradra had touched the ball only three times in the first half and on the one occasion he looked set to make progess the ball was ripped from his grasp by Saracens No.8 Billy Vunipola.
But in the second half he displayed his explosive power as he chased a kick and smashed Alex Lewington to the ground.
The heavy rain meant it was never going to be a day for individual heroics and Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said: “Semi didn’t get the opportunities he wanted but he gave us confidence out there.”
It was tough on Sarries who were denied a penalty try of their own as Bristol were pinged three times by referee Matthew Carley as they tried to snatch a lastgasp victory after the Bears had taken the lead.
Full-back Sean Maitland claimed: “I thought it was a penalty try right at the end but I’m not the ref.”
His boss Mark McCall said: “The referee awarded Bristol a penalty try and it looked like we were going over the line when they were penalised two minutes later, but that’s his decision.”
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After seeing a raft of players depart, minor injuries also deprived them of England stars Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly and skipper Brad Barritt but the standins stood out as they responded to the experienced string-pulling of
half-backs Richard Wigglesworth and Alex Goode.
Goode, taking over Farrell’s kicking duties, edged them into a 6-0 lead in the opening ten minutes but opposite number Callum Sheedy replied twice to level.
It was third time unlucky for Goode before he landed two second half penalties to Sheedy’s one to put Sarriies 12-9 up.
Try-scoring opportunities were as scarce as sunshine at Ashton Gate but Bristol were denied what would have been a classic try by winger Luke Morahan who scythed through the Saracens defence, beating four men, on a 40m run to the line only to see his score ruled out.
After watching replays from three angles, referee Carley ruled that a nudge from replacement hooker Harry Thacker had knocked Maro Itoje off-line as he shaped to tackle.
Bristol boss Lam said: “I thought we were really hard done by. There was no way
Maro was getting there.”
The 46th-minute introduction of Thacker and England prop Kyle Sinckler – Bristol’s other big lockdown signing, from Harlequins – re-energised a pack which had already dominated the setpiece but the Bears will need to reduce the high penalty count after conceding 22, a number which Saracens should have punished more, if they are to establish themselves as leading contenders to Exeter.