First PWR Semi-Final 2024 A quite astonishing reversal of fortune: Saracens are downed at home, so fail to make yet another final. Here we had the two clubs with the tightest defences in the league, Bears better even than Sarries. The last time the two sides met at the StoneX Sarries won 32-10. But in
The four strongest clubs in the country meet this weekend to decide who will compete for the trophy a fortnight later. The fixtures, both on Sunday 9 June, line up like this: Saracens v Bristol Bears, StoneX Stadium, KO 14.00 BST Gloucester-Hartpury v Exeter Chiefs, Kingsholm, KO 16.30 BST The four squads have been announced:
Trailfinders started so well. They worked their way gradually into the Bears’ 22, won a line- out and saw Cristina Blanco take a return pass to slip round the front for an easy try. The rest of the game was to prove more of a trial. On 18 minutes Bears had a penalty six metres
The fixture schedule was different this week: for the first time it spread across three days, with Bears taking on Gloucester-Hartpury at 19.30 on Friday evening. And sure enough, it was freezing cold. Whose bright idea was this? That helps to explain the lack of scoring, just a try in each half for Gloucester-Hartpury. The
You would not have wanted to be part of the Bristol management team watching on. As the game unfolded, the Bears were guilty of error upon error that cost them possession and territory. It was as if the Sandy Park bogey had its beady eye on them. Gabriella Nigrelli, another of England’s young Under 20s
The tightness of the result (see below) tells us all we need to know about the narrow margins at work. G-H were on top for long periods of the game, their fluent combinations threatening to open up the Bears’ defences time and again. Yet they managed only three tries for all that endeavour. The first
This was the game you refuse Christmas pudding for – or should that be ‘a second helping of…’? It formed the first half of a double-header with the men’s teams at a sold-out Stoop. For the first time Wayne Barnes refereed a Prem 15s game. This was a worryingly one-sided contest for Bristol, Quns’ running in
Allianz Premier 15s – Round 15 Bristol Bears v Saracens Probably not, but a game started at 2.30 called a halt at 5.15 It all happened in the first half. Five minutes from kick-off. Georgia Evans sustained a nasty injury to her shoulder; her onfield treatment took a quarter-of-an-hour. Only a few moments after she
Dave Ward’s broom is sweeping clean. Bristol Bears announce the departure of no fewer than seven players. No reasons are offered. The one big surprise is Clara Nielson, the only Red Rose the Bears had available all last season; she was their captain too. The other names are Chelsea Jones, Gemma Rowland, Lauren Smyth, Megan
It’s excellent news that Bristol Bears have appointed Dave Ward as their new head coach. He comes with vast experience with Quins, England and lately Ampthill. It’s a plus that he is a Bristol man himself. It’s very much end of the season with only one fixture still to play, so his eyes will be
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