Grandstand finish tips derby in favour of Bristol and two-try Genge
Ellis Genge marked his Bristol homecoming with two tries as the Bears began their Gallagher Premiership campaign with a 31-29 victory over Bath at Ashton Gate. Bath looked to be heading towards victory but a late try from Will Capon - which was converted by AJ MacGinty - proved to be the difference.
Following the death of the Queen on Thursday a minute’s silence was held in her honour, with the national anthem sung immediately afterwards to pay tribute to the new King. This eagerly anticipated Premiership opener was originally scheduled for Friday night but was pushed back by a day, resulting in no television match official being available.
Genge could not have hoped for a better start on his first appearance since joining from Leicester in the summer. In the first minute, the England prop charged straight through a gap and, with Kyle Sinckler on his outside, dummied the final defender to finish a tremendous individual try.
Callum Sheedy added the extras but Bath began to grind their way back into the game and after a period of pressure, Piers Francis got them on the scoreboard with a penalty. Bath were beginning to stress the Bristol defence and a break from their captain Ben Spencer from the base of the ruck saw the scrum-half run in unopposed from 35 metres out, Francis kicking the conversion to put Bath 10-7 ahead.
With just over ten minutes of the first half remaining Bristol managed to build some pressure in the Bath 22. After a solid scrum, their forwards took the route one approach before the ball was spread wide for Scotland international Magnus Bradbury to squeeze over in the right-hand corner on his competitive debut for the club.
Bristol then attacked from deep which put Bath under pressure and resulted in their centre Will Butt being sent to the sin bin for not rolling away at the breakdown. Further cards ensued after Luke Morahan scored Bristol’s third try, touching down in the corner after a driving maul and good work by Sheedy and Charles Piutau. Bath’s replacements, who were warming up nearby, got involved in a melee with some Bristol players and hooker Niall Annett, an unused substitute, was red-carded by referee Matthew Carley with Sheedy sin-binned.
Francis hit another penalty for the visitors meaning Bristol turned around with just a 17-16 lead. Bath drew first blood in the second half with prop Tom Dunn powering his way over from short range after a period of sustained pressure. Francis converted and made it a two-score game at 26-17 with another penalty.
Genge put Bristol within touching distance when he charged through three defenders to score a sensational try and set up a grandstand finish, and Capon soon scored from a well-worked driving lineout with MacGinty’s conversion putting Bristol into the lead. Francis missed a late drop goal attempt to send the home crowd ecstatic
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No just because the personal is much better than last year. I've shown no antagonism of Crusader players, you must be confusing me with someone else.
I have critized Razor for picking players he knows occasionally?
I said I'm not surprised because of his style, he's more a grinder player like Cane, not going to show up on peoples radar until you see how bad the other choices are. This year players like Clarke have been on fire and just show a bit more.
Are you one of those posters continually taking it easy on Razor because he doesn't have his Crusaders stars available? Do you think the rugby world is going to up to him suddenly once Mo'unga returns? lol
Go to commentsJohn you have been beating this drum for a couple of years, if you get proven right get back to us.
The last recent and decent Aussie coach was Ewen McKenzie, he was undermined and forced out by a couple of slimy Aussie players who were given a free pass when they should have been disciplined.
So our history since McQueen is very checkered and it seems to make little difference whether we have an Aussie coach or a Kiwi coach. The players have been entitled for a long time and we had to hit bottom to get them back into reality and to stop thinking it is all about them.
Cheika was an OK coach but his 'go our and destroy the opposition' tactic worked for a while and then didn't.
Please give me a list of great Aussie coaches that I have missed.
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