Bristol Bears produced a stunning, try-laden performance to secure their place in the Champions Cup knockout stages, defeating the Vodacom Bulls 61-49 in a breathtaking spectacle at Loftus Versfeld.
First-Half Onslaught Seals Victory
The Bears exploded from the blocks in Pretoria, scoring three tries inside the opening ten minutes to leave the home crowd shell-shocked. Despite the Bulls fielding a formidable lineup containing ten current Springboks, they were powerless to stop the Bristol juggernaut in a remarkable first half.
By the interval, the visitors had crossed the whitewash seven times, building a commanding 47-28 lead. The scorers in that blistering period included Noah Heward with a double, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Max Lahiff, Kalaveti Ravouvou, and Kieran Marmion.
Heward Hat-Trick Caps Memorable Night
The South African hosts offered sterner resistance after the break, but Bristol continued to find gaps. Noah Heward completed his hat-trick, while Pedro Rubiolo also scored and the powerful Kalaveti Ravouvou powered over for his second try of the match.
The final score of 61-49 reflected a game of relentless attacking rugby, with Bristol's defence doing just enough to keep the dangerous Bulls at bay. This victory marks Bristol's third win from three outings in this season's Champions Cup.
Pool 4 Implications and Weekend Fixtures
The result propels the Bears to the summit of Pool 4, above Northampton Saints and Bordeaux-Bègles, who are set to face each other on Sunday. The win all but guarantees Bristol's progression to the last 16 of Europe's premier club competition.
In other Champions Cup action this weekend, Scarlets host Pau in Llanelli in Pool 4. Saturday also sees Glasgow Warriors visit Clermont Auvergne in Pool 1, followed by the much-anticipated 'Sharks derby' between Sale and the Durban-based Sharks. In Pool 3, Leinster welcome La Rochelle and Leicester Tigers entertain Bayonne.
