Covid-hit Bears halt Falcons’ winning run
BRISTOL, with hooker George Kloska leading the fight on his Premiership debut, overcame first half problems up front to record another impressive bonus point win and end Falcons’ 100 per cent start to the Premiership season.
With six front rowers sidelined because of Covid protocols, coach Pat Lam relied on squad players and young tyros and although it was by no means plain sailing they came through strongly with the arrival of Kyle Sinckler off the bench helping greatly in the second half.
None did better than Kloska, the latest member of an old rugby-playing Bristol family, who looked to the manor born on his Premiership debut. Kloska has more than a hint of Mark Regan about him – strong, durable, combative – but also demonstrated plenty of skill. A real talent who Lam sensibly kept on for the full 80.
Bristol started proceedings with a try after just 43 seconds when Callum Sheedy intercepted a promising Falcons attack and handed on to the speedy Ratu Naulago to do the honours.
Newcastle, though, replied with a cracker from George Wacokecoke, making his Premiership debut. He dummied past Semi Radradra who was perhaps overdoing the blitz defence and then hit the afterburners for a fine try.
Bristol struck again after a rare period of first half forward dominance saw them attacking wide on the right. A misdirected bounce pass threatened to stall them but Charles Piutau swooped, recovered it one handed, dummied and powered over to celebrate his first appearance in three months as he recovered from an Achilles issue.
In the approach to halftime, though, it was all Newcastle as they found various ways of not scor
ing from surging rolling mauls and scrum fives, with Bristol reduced to 14 men after lock Dave Attwood was yellow carded for repeated team infringements.
Attwood was almost due back on when Newcastle finally took advantage with Jamie Blamire taking a tapped penalty five metres out and Dave Wilson plunging over from the next phase.
After the break Newcastle lost concentration totally at an early lineout and allowed Nathan Hughes to stroll over with almost comical ease before they again laid siege to the Bristol line.
Falcons’ Pumas centre Mattias Orlando looked over for all money after good work from Blamire but was wrapped up by a wondrous try-saving tackle from Piers O’Connor.
But Falcons consider themselves unlucky at the resulting scrum five. Clearly on top and inching forward they were gathering for a big second push which started fractionally after the referee prematurely shouted “use it”. Almost instantaneously the Bristol scrum fractured and Philip Van der Walt walked in for a simple “try” which the referee had to disallow.
The ref got it wrong. At a scrum five the attacking team must be allowed that pause to win the “pushing can battle” before completing a pushover try or forcing a penalty try. Newcastle were wrongly denied that moment.
Van der Walt did force himself over a few minutes later from a pick and go but that man Kloska sealed the game with the Bristol pack turning the tables on the Newcastle forwards with a textbook rolling maul.
Newcastle spent the remaining time probing for a losing bonus point but even that ambition disappeared out of sight when Callum Sheedy slotted a late penalty.