Match Report | Bristol Bears 48-3 Bath Rugby

Bath Rugby were humbled 48-3 by a rampant Bristol Bears side in Round 7 of the Gallagher Premiership on Friday evening. 

Bristol Bears scored seven tries through Luke Morahan, Charles Piutau, Andy Uren, Semi Radradra, a brace from hooker Bryan Byrne and to top off their display, the hosts were awarded a penalty try in the latter stages. 

Bath got off to a solid start but were caught on the counter-attack on two occasions in the opening 10 minutes of the game. The first came from Morahan, who dotted down in the corner following penalty advantage and the second came through Piutau, who reacted quickest after O'Conor orchestrated the break to dot down in the corner.

Bath were dealt a huge blow after just 12 minutes, as Josh McNally and Elliott Stooke both left the field for HIA assessments and did not return to the game. 

Just two minutes later, Bath were on the scoreboard as lock replacement Mike Williams earned his side a well-deserved penalty and Rhys Priestland nailed his effort from 45 metres out. 

Bristol then began to take the ascendancy and loaded the pressure on. It began to show as Ioan Lloyd added his own three points to Bears' tally with an effort from 30 metres out following the penalty.   

Andy Uren then scored Bristol's third with a snipping run off the back of the maul and as the game opened up, Priestland was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.

Bath were unable to deal with the gap from the card and the visitors were left to rue the mistake as Bristol's Byrne managed to score two tries before the half was over. The first the number two scramble his way over from close range for Bristol's bonus-point score and the second came in similar fashion, a well-worked maul move and the hooker dotted down. 

Bristol picked up where they let off after the half-time break. The hosts playing quick, expansive rugby, with Pat Lam's side picking up their sixth try of the evening through Radradra who ran it in from halfway. 

The final points of the game came on the 57th minute, again Bath put under the pump. Flanker Josh Bayliss received a yellow card after referee Wayne Barnes discussed the move after forward Will Capon thought he had dotted down for a seventh but TMO Tom Foley had spotted an infringement for obstructing play and Bristol are awarded the penalty try.  

Bath Rugby will host Harlequins on Saturday 6 February at the Rec in Round 8 of the Gallagher Premiership. 

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REACTION 

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GALLERY