Video: 15 seconds was all it took for Bristol to score Radradra-inspired try on Friday night
Challenge Cup final winners Bristol couldn't have dreamt up a better start to their decider against Toulon than Semi Radradra producing some magic to create a try that was scored after just 15 record-breaking seconds at Aix-en-Provence.
The Bears won the final on a 32-19 scoreline at Stade Maurice-David after they produced an unstoppable second-half surge to turn around a 19-13 deficit with 52 minutes gone in their first-ever European showpiece.
Some wonderful pace from the try-scoring Max Malins and the precise kicking boot of Callum Sheedy were pivotal to that successful comeback, but there was no getting away from the wow factor that Bristol had produced right from the kick-off when scoring the quickest try in European rugby history.
Radradra gathered the Toulon kick in the 22 and the Fijian centre attracted the attention of three players as he looked inside and ran towards the left touchline, pulling Bryce Heem in off his wing.
A brilliant pass out of contact to wing Alapati Leiua allowed the Samoan to race up the touchline to halfway before transferring back inside to the supporting Radradra. He then gave scrum-half Harry Randall the assist to allow him to scamper 40 metres to the line to open the scoring.
The response the try ignited on Twitter was in keeping with the praise continuously heaped on Radradra ever since he made his summer move from Bordeaux and made a Bristol debut in August.
Radradra continued to be a major influence in the final, nearly having a second try assist to his name in the first half but for a forward pass ruling out a score for Joe Joyce.
The Fijian's night didn't end on the pitch, though. He missed the closing stages with a leg injury that rugby fans will hope won't prevent him from starring for Fiji in next month's Autumn Nations Cup.
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Disagree.
The challenge for the All Blacks now that they have 7 of 8 starting forwards locked in and all but one bench forward (only one loose forward and bench loosie to settle on) is to sort out the starting backline as only 9 Roigard, 12 J. Barrett, 11 Clarke and 15 Jordan had good to outstanding seasons in 2024. All the other backs were inconsistent or poor and question marks going into 2025.
Go to commentshe should not be playing 12. He should be playing 10 and team managers should stop playing players out of position to accommodate libbok.
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