Match Report: Bears 18 – 14 Chiefs

A fierce Derby Weekend match-up was won in the last quarter by Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon.

Despite there being two tries apiece, the full-time scoreline was decided by crucial penalties kicked for the hosts by Tom Jordan and Sam Worsley while Chiefs were denied a try in the last five minutes.

Bears’ star-studded summer signing Jordan opened the game with a penalty kick in the second minute. Unfortunately for Chiefs, Henry Slade uncharacteristically missed a similar shot at goal to level the score a couple of minutes later.

The flying Fijian figure of Viliame Mata scored Bristol’s first try after 25 minutes. Taking a pass in the five-metre-channel just outside the Chiefs’ 22, the back-rower fended off Dan John’s tackle to run in the score.

Slade responded immediately for Chiefs as they ran ball out of their own half through Ross Vintcent. The Italian released John and the Chiefs worked from there with some swift interchanges between Harvey Skinner and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso eating up more yards before Vintcent broke into the 22, using Slade’s support line to complete the score.

Slade converted the try from in front of the posts to bring the Chiefs within a point.

Bristol had their man-power reduced at the half hour mark, Jordan shown a 20-minute red card for a shoulder to the head tackle on Vintcent. The Chiefs back-rower received attention from the medics before walking from the field, to be replaced by Kane James.

Chiefs capitalised with a try within a minute of the card being shown. A strong carry from Paul Brown-Bampoe breached Bristol territory before Ben Hammersley took the feed from Stephen Varney. Hammersley grounded to the left of the post-pad with his centre partner Slade converting the score.

A dominant involvement from Andrea Zambonin and Jack Yeandle metres from the Chiefs line saved the Exeter men from conceding any points at the end of the half.

Half-time: Bears 8 – 14 Chiefs

Bristol added to their tally just shy of an hour played, mauling their pack over from five metres out with hooker Gabriel Oghre the try-scorer while Sam Worsley’s conversion curled through the sticks.

The tide turned shortly thereafter when replacement Max Pepper was shown a yellow card for a deliberate slap-down of the ball, the resultant penalty allowing Chiefs to go for the corner.

However, a melee ensued when after repeated mauls for the line, Chiefs looked to have scored in the corner with Bristol captain Fitz Harding shown a yellow. As Slade prepared to take the conversion, the TMO intervened and the resulting decision was a rescinding of the card, a disallowed try and Chiefs facing a home-fed scrum on the five-metre line.

The call buoyed the Bristol men, who marched Chiefs down the field with back-to-back penalties, the last of which was awarded in the 79th minute. Worsley watched the clock tick down before striking the ball to end the game with a successful penalty kick.

Despite the scoreline, Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter was quick to assure his team that this was not a huge set-back and that if they focused on the positives, they could remain on a progressive curve with their performances.

Full-time: Bears 18 – 14 Chiefs

Bears: B Elizalde; J Carrington (Pepper 8’), J Bates (Worsley 45’), B Janse-van-Rensburg, K Ravouvou; T Jordan (Lennon 49’), K Marmion; E Genge (Woolmore 66’), G Oghre (Thacker 72’), G Kloska (Chawatama 68’), P Rubiolo, J Batley, S Grondona (Dun 55’), F Harding, V Mata.

Unused replacements: Owen

Tries: Mata, Oghre Conversions: Worsley Penalties: Jordon, Worsley

Yellow card: Max Pepper

Red card: Tom Jordan

Chiefs: D John; I Feyi-Waboso, H Slade, B Hammersley, P Brown-Bampoe; H Skinner, S Varney; W Goodrick-Clarke (Burger 72’), J Yeandle (Heaven 72’), J Iosefa-Scott (Tchumbadze 58’), D Jenkins (c) (Tuima 72’), A Zambonin (Pearson 58’), E Roots, G Fisilau, R Vintcent (James 30’).

Unused replacements: Chapman, Lilley

Tries: Slade, Hammersley Conversions: Slade 2

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe