Bristol Bears secure remarkable bonus-point victory over Bulls
Bristol Bears produced a stunning performance to defeat the Bulls 61-49 in Pretoria in a Champions Cup pool-stage match that saw an astonishing 16 tries scored. The victory secured Bristol’s place in the knockout stage and lifted them to the top of Pool 4.
Bristol set one of the fastest scoring tempos in Champions Cup history, claiming a bonus-point victory by scoring four tries inside the opening 15 minutes. This was particularly remarkable against a Bulls team fielding 10 Springboks in their starting XV.
| Goal | Author | Minute | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| Try | Benhard Janse van Rensburg | 2’ | Bristol Bears |
| Try | Max Lahiff | 5’ | Bristol Bears |
| Try | Noah Heward | 7’ | Bristol Bears |
| Try | Jeandre Rudolph | 13’ | Bulls |
| Try | Kalaveti Ravouvou | 15’ | Bristol Bears |
| Try | Stravino Jacobs | 18’ | Bulls |
| Try | Noah Heward | 21’ | Bristol Bears |
| Try | Kieran Marmion | 24’ | Bristol Bears |
| Try | Stravino Jacobs | 27’ | Bulls |
| Penalty Try | — | 37’ | Bulls |
| Try | Noah Heward | 40’ | Bristol Bears |
| Try | David Kriel | 43’ | Bulls |
| Try | Pedro Rubiolo | 56’ | Bristol Bears |
| Try | Kalaveti Ravouvou | 59’ | Bristol Bears |
| Try | Sebastian de Klerk | 72’ | Bulls |
| Try | Willie le Roux | 74’ | Bulls |
Turning Point: A Defensive Masterclass in Offensive Chaos
Despite the flurry of points, the match was also disciplinarily charged. On the 38th minute, Rich Lane (Bristol) received a yellow card for intentionally knocking the ball out of play, resulting in a penalty try for the Bulls. Shortly after, Noah Heward’s third try on the 40th minute restored Bristol’s cushion.
Later, on the 56th minute, Willie le Roux (Bulls) was temporarily sin-binned for slowing play, giving Bristol a numerical advantage that they converted into further tries. The defensive play of the match came in the dying stages when Benhard Janse van Rensburg executed a crucial tap-tackle on Mpilo Gumede, preventing what seemed like a certain 17th try for the Bulls.
Statistical Highlights
- Total points: 110 (Bristol 61 – Bulls 49)
- Tries scored: 16 (Bristol 9 – Bulls 7)
- Conversions: Jordan (Bristol) 8/9, Handre Pollard (Bulls) 6/6
- Previous Champions Cup points record: 124 (Toulouse vs Ebbw Vale, 1998/99)
Bristol’s attacking efficiency, combined with moments of defensive brilliance, ensured that they whitewashed the Bulls’ early momentum and maintained control throughout.
Bristol now face a testing home fixture against Bordeaux Begles on 18 January (13:00 GMT), while the Bulls travel to Pau (20:00) hoping to keep qualification hopes alive.
Match officials: Referee Pierre Brousset, assistants Jeremy Rozier and Benjamin Hernandez, TMO Denis Grenouillet.
