Rugby / Bristol Bears
Bears hope Sale win can kickstart spluttering season
‘Twickenham: 18 June 2022. The final. Buy tickets now!’
It would still need a wildly optimistic Bristol Bears fan to follow the instructions on the perimeter advertising boards around the Ashton Gate pitch.
But on Friday evening, a 32-15 bonus-point win for the home side against Sale Sharks could be what is needed to finally jumpstart what so far has been a spluttering season.
As the clock struck 80 minutes, there was also a try to savour from Andy Uren after some magic from Ioan Lloyd that reminded everyone how good this Bears team can be.
The celebrations among some of the Bristol players and backroom staff as Uren touched down was as if they had won that Premiership final. This win under the lights of BS3 meant so much.
Fitz Harding was like a jack-in-a-box, bear-hugging everyone in close proximity and jumping into the arms of coach Jordan Crane.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYchTkwNLxU/
Luke Morahan, who scored two tries, called the performance “a massive effort from everyone”.
“It’s good that things are sticking to click a bit in our attack. It’s been a bit off-form lately. It’s good to get a few tries under the belt. I wasn’t expecting that tonight to be honest… to be able to throw the ball around is exciting.”
Morahan said that the noise at Ashton Gate on the final whistle was “unbelievable”. “I love it mate,” he told Bears matchday presenter and Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines co-host, Ian Downs.
“You heard the Bears chant at the end there. It’s so good and gets us over the line every time.”
Bears director of rugby, Pat Lam, called Friday night “a huge win”.
He said: “It’s a better performance off the back of the last couple of weeks. And we know we can still be better than that.”
Main photo: JMP
Read more: Bristol24/7 Sportsperson of the Year 2021: Simi Pam
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