Bears looking good for spot in last eight
A SECOND-STRING Bristol Bears side still proved to be far too good for Russian minnows Enisei-STM on Saturday as they blew the home side away in Sochi.
Bristol did not quite match the stunning 82 points Pool Four leaders La Rochelle put on EniseiSTM on the first weekend of the competition, but they did cross the line 11 times on a wet day.
After a competitive opening to the game, Pat Lam’s side pulled away and scored tries through Piers O’Conor (2), Joe Joyce, Nick Fenton-Wells (3), Nick Haining, Mat Protheroe, Jake Armstrong, Sam Graham and Tom Pincus.
Ramil Gaisin scored three penalties for the hosts.
It was the first time Bristol have scored more than 50 points in a European game since December 2005, when Viadana were beaten 89-5, and the result was the club’s highest-scoring away from home in Europe.
La Rochelle beat Zebre 32-12 on Friday night to extend their lead at the top of the group, but Bristol’s comprehensive away win, and the Italian side’s failure to pick up a point in France, means the Bears move up to second in the group and puts them on track to be in the quarter-final draw.
Victory in the return leg on Saturday should ensure at least a best runners-up place for the Gallagher Premiership club, which will be their first appearance in the knockout stages in Europe since the 2006/07 season.
■ Bristol could this week secure the signing of England and Wasps number eight Nathan Hughes.
The powerful back row forward has long been touted with a move to link up with Pat Lam and, according to The Times, the switch could be announced in the next seven days.
Wasps look set to lose several players in the near future and it is ‘accepted by club insiders’ that Hughes to the Bears is a done deal, along with several other player transfers.
Hughes, 27, has 17 caps for England and looks set to compete with Billy Vunipola to start at the back of the pack in the forthcoming Six Nations tournament.
And it could be that the former Auckland player will be the next key signing at Ashton Gate.