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Bristol (34) 48 |
Tries: Morahan, Piutau, Uren, Byrne 2, Radradra, Penalty try Cons: Lloyd 4 Pen: Lloyd |
Bath (3) 3 |
Pen: Priestland |
Premiership leaders Bristol scored seven tries as they battered Bath at Ashton Gate to set a new record winning margin in the derby fixture.
The game was up before the break with five tries as Bath lost three to injury and the yellow-carded Rhys Priestland.
Tries from wing Luke Morahan, full-back Charles Piutau and Andy Uren were bolstered by two against 14 men from hooker Brian Byrne in three minutes.
Semi Radradra and a penalty try wrapped up a comprehensive win for the hosts.
Bath can point to their injury count as a prime factor in Bristol’s biggest win over Bath in the 132-year history of this fixture, supplanting a 44-6 triumph over the Blue, Black and Whites at the Memorial Stadium in 1980.
But the visitors had already shipped two tries inside the first seven minutes before a freak clash of heads cost them the services of both locks, Josh McNally and Elliott Stooke.
Both went off for head injury assessments, which they failed, to be replaced by Mike Williams and Wales and British and Irish Lions number eight Taulupe Faletau, who had an unexpectedly long run-out ahead of next Sunday’s Six Nations opener against Ireland.
After they then also lost winger Ruaridh McConnochie, Bears scrum-half Uren daintily tiptoed in for an excellent solo try.
And worse was to follow, when referee Wayne Barnes adjudged that Wales stand-off Priestland had deliberately knocked on – and Byrne took advantage of the extra numbers to score twice in quick succession and secure a four-try bonus point.
At 34-3 up Bristol took their foot off the gas in the second half, as Bath’s youngsters nobly stepped up their efforts to limit their hosts to just two more scores – a try for centre Radradra and a penalty try awarded by referee Barnes after he had chalked off one for Will Capon.
Bristol: Piutau; Morahan, Radradra, O’Conor, Purdy; Lloyd, Uren; Woolmore, Byrne, Afoa, Attwood, Vui, Luatua (capt), Thomas, Hughes.
Replacements: Capon, Thomas, Armstrong, Holmes, Heenan, Kessell, Sheedy, Leiua.
Bath: de Glanville; McConnochie, Joseph, Matavesi, Hamer-Webb; Priestland, Spencer; Schoeman, Dunn, Judge, McNally (capt), Stooke, Bayliss, Reid, Mercer
Replacements: Walker, Bhatti, Thomas, Williams, Faletau, Chudley, Redpath, Cokanasiga
Referee: Wayne Barnes.
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