Bristol make light of front-row problems to see off Falcons
BRISTOL BEARS VS NEWCASTLE FALCONS, GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP reports on Bristol’s New Year’s Day victory against Newcastle at Ashton Gate
BRISTOL Bears’ forward stars stood up to be counted at Ashton Gate as Bristol Bears came through the adversity of fielding a matchday 23 without any of their front row from last weekend, to beat gritty Newcastle 29-17.
The Bears were depowered up front after a positive Covid test in the front row in the week meant Yann Thomas, Will Capon, John Afoa, Bryan Byrne, Jake Woolmore and Max Lahiff were all at home isolating as an unbeaten Newcastle side came to Ashton Gate.
But fourth-choice hooker George Kloska, 21, put in a composed performance to walk away with a try and the man-of-the-match award, while summer signing Peter McCabe played all 80 minutes at loosehead prop with only teenagers from the academy on the bench.
Tighthead Jake Armstrong, making his first Premiership start, was given a tough ride at the scrum, but England star Kyle Sinckler steadied the ship when he came off the bench in the 48th minute and then powered it to dominance in the final quarter of the contest to see the Bears home. The British and Irish Lions star was even giving scrummaging tips to his less experienced front row colleagues on the pitch during stoppages in the most significant performance of his Bristol career so far - despite it being just 32 minutes long.
In the autumn, the former Harlequins prop revealed he had struggled to make the transition from London to Bristol and said he was disappointed with his output on the pitch, but his performance on a cold New Year’s Day was the epitome of why Pat Lam brought him to the club. Sinckler brought power, experience and leadership to the side with the game still in the bal
ance as Newcastle dragged the Bears into a forward-orientated arm wrestle for much of the game.
Meanwhile, in the back row Nathan Hughes put in a colossal performance at No 8 to prove his doubters in the punditry world wrong, scoring a try from an unstoppable training ground move as he peeled around from a lineout to smash through the attempted tackle of Sam Stuart to touch down.
The former England international was denied a second score after the break as well as he finished a superb counter-attacking move from deep in the Bears’ half which saw the home side cut Falcons to shreds with their mazy running lines.
No one would have begrudged Kloska, Sinckler or Hughes the man of the match award, but in truth this was a collective effort, with the hooker and even centre Piers O’Conor holding up Falcons players over the line to deny them tries.
While the Bears never had a firm grip on the game due to the stubbornness of Newcastle, who scored twice in the forwards through powerful England flanker Mark Wilson and debutant No 8 Philip van der Walt, and once through impressive centre George Wacokecoke, there was plenty to appreciate in the home side’s performance.
Bristol got off to the perfect start with a first try for rugby league convert Siva Naulago after just 45 seconds. Callum Sheedy intercepted the ball deep in his own half and took off at pace. The Wales international could well have finished the try himself, but with Ben Stevenson reeling him in, he opted to pass to his Fijian team-mate who wasn’t about to get caught by anyone.
Charles Piutua also announced his return to action for the first time since September 18 after overcoming an Achilles injury, with a casual moment of genius which led to a try. The former All Black picked a bouncing ball off his toes one handed, dummied and powered over the line.
The Bears will have to be much better next weekend at champions Exeter Chiefs, and get their key men in the backs involved much more, but they will make the trip down the M5 in second in the Gallagher Premiership and, all being well, with their front-row resources replenished.
Bristol Bears: Charles Piutau; Siva Naulago, Semi Radradra, Piers O’Conor, Ioan Lloyd; Callum Sheedy, Andy Uren; Peter McCabe, George Kloska, Jake Armstrong, Dave Attwood, Joe Joyce, Steven Luatua (capt), Jake Heenan, Nathan Hughes.
Replacements: Kyle Sinckler (for Armstrong, 48), John Hawkins (for Hughes, 73), Fitz Harding (for Keenan, 65), Harry Randall (for Uren, 55), Alapati Leiua (for Naulago, 74), Luke Morahan (for Piutau, 53). Not used: Aaron Thompson, Andrew Turner.
Sin-bin: Attwood (31)
Newcastle Falcons: Tom Arscott; Adam Radwan, George Wacokecoke, Matias Orlando, Ben Stevenson; Toby Flood, Sam Stuart; Trevor Davison, Jamie Blamire, Logovi’i Mulipola, Greg Peterson, Marco Fuser, Sean Robinson, Mark Wilson (capt), Philip van der Walt
Charlie Maddison (for Blamire, 63), Kyle Cooper (for Davison, 63), Mark Tampin (for Mulipola, 63), Connor Collett (for Fuser, 55), Louis Schreuder (for Stuart, 54), Brett Connon (for Flood, 73).
Josh Basham, Gareth Owen.