Bristol Bears suffer their first true hammering of the Premiership season

Bristol Bears have fallen to their first heavy defeat of the season.

Worcester Warriors proved too strong for Pat Lam's newly promoted side, who are suffering something of an injury crisis at present.

Ironically Bristol scored first, with a try under the posts for prop Yann Thomas, which was as good as it got for the visitors to Sixways. Following that opening try Worcester Warriors would go on to score 52 unanswered points, to leave the score 52 - 7 at the close.

The Bears also failed to capitalise on a 10 minute spell at the end of the game when Warriors were reduced to 14 men when Ryan Bower was sent off in the 70th minute.

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Following the match Pat Lam said: "It's what you do as a team, as people and as characters from here that will show what we are about. We have a lot of work to do."

Players unavailable to Bristol Bears at present include Sione Faletau (calf), Lewis Thiede (knee), Aly Muldowney (neck), Chris Vui (groin), John Hawkins (thumb), Jordan Crane (hamstring), Tiff Eden (shoulder), Jack Tovey (knee), Mat Protheroe (knee), Charles Piutau (shoulder), Luke Daniels (hamstring), Piers O’Conor (foot) and Aaron Chapman (hamstring).

Bristol Bears

15. Zane Kirchner; 14. Luke Morahan, 13. Will Hurrell, 12. Siale Piutau (co-capt), 11. Alapati Leiua; 10. Ian Madigan, 9. Andy Uren; 1. Yann Thomas, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. John Afoa, 4. Ed Holmes, 5. Joe Joyce, 6. Steve Luatua (co-capt), 7. George Smith, 8. Jack Lam.

Replacements: 16. Nick Fenton-Wells, 17. Jake Woolmore, 18. Jake Armstrong, 19. Sam Jeffries, 20. Dan Thomas, 21. Nic Stirzaker, 22. Callum Sheedy, 23. Ryan Edwards.

Worcester Warriors

15 Chris Pennell; 14 Bryce Heem; 13 Francois Venter; 12 Ryan Mills; 11 Josh Adams

10 Duncan Weir; 9 Francois Hougaard; 1 Callum Black; 2 Jack Singleton; 3 Nick Schonert; 4 Anton Bresler; 5 Darren Barry; 6 Marco Mama; 7 Sam Lewis; 8 GJ van Velze (C)

Replacements: 16 Joe Taufete’e; 17 Ryan Bower; 18 Simon Kerrod; 19 Pierce Phillips; 20 Ted Hill; 21 Michael Heaney; 22 Jono Lance; 23 Perry Humphreys