Rugby / Bristol Bears
Bristol Bears’ Big Day Out in Cardiff is a roaring success
Bear Country moved 44 miles across the other side of the Bristol Channel on Saturday as Bristol Bears played a ‘home’ game against Bath in the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Against a depleted Bath XV (Ellis Genge, newly announced in the Lions squad, started for Bristol but neither of his future Lions teammates, Finn Russell and Will Stuart, were in the Bath squad) Bristol beat their West Country rivals 36-14.
In front of a club record 51,095 fans, Bristol’s tries came from Gabriel Ibitoye, Rich Lane, Gabriel Oghre, Fitz Harding, Will Capon and Bill Mata.
is needed now More than ever
Benhard Janse van Rensburg put in a huge hit in the first few minutes to set the standard and Harry Randall put in a man of the match performance – there is no justice in the world if Randall does not feature in England’s tour to Argentina in July, with both of Bristol’s Gabriels also both surely in the mix.
As the blue and white of Bristol took on the blue and white of Bath the match did not have too many memorable moments. However, the game did burst into life in the final few minutes as Bath looked to claw back the deficit but Bristol scored two quick tries; with Siva Naulago and then Mata both rampaging down the right wing to dazzling effect.
When BJVR hits, they stay hit 😱
🐻 0-0 🛀 (14 mins)#BRIvBAT | #BigDayOut pic.twitter.com/se5Oa8zekY
— Bristol Bears 🐻 (@BristolBears) May 10, 2025
There was much more to the event than 80 minutes on a rugby pitch, however, with fans from both teams doing their best to live up to the event’s billing as the Big Day Out as the pubs and bars around the stadium were doing a roaring trade well before midday.
Oghre scored from a rolling maul just before half-time which saw Newcastle’s Maxïmo Park entertain the crowd as Bristol played Bath in Cardiff. “This is weird,” said lead singer Paul Smith.
(Here’s where I could make a pun about Velocity and the travel time between Bristol, Bath and the Welsh capital, but I shall resist the temptation.)
Ahead of kick-off, there was dancing on the pitch from dozens of youngsters and then a DJ set from Eats Everything whose mix included Crazy In Love from Beyoncé who has previously played in this very stadium.
This was like a typical matchday experience at Ashton Gate but turned up to 11.
Downsy and Slick were on the mic, there was wave cam and lookalikes on the big screens, the Wurzels played over the speakers to mark a Bristol win and there were adverts on the perimeter hoardings for Mashatu – Bears owner Steve Lansdown’s game reserve in Botswana.
Finishing with a flourish 💅 @bill_mata 🇫🇯 pic.twitter.com/5qyrP52crm
— Bristol Bears 🐻 (@BristolBears) May 10, 2025
Bath remain first in the Premiership table after this match but Bristol’s play-off hopes have been given a huge boost thanks to this bonus-point win.
Genge called it “a very special day” when he was interviewed after the match.
But, despite the adverts for the Big Day Out 2026, Knowle West’s future Lion then went off-script: “I prefer BS3 to be honest.”
Is it too much to dream that after the lights of the Principality, the next big day out for both sets of fans will be at the Premiership final at Twickenham?
Bears fans welcomed the team as they walked to the Principality Stadium down Westgate Street – photo: Bristol Bears
Main photo: Bristol Bears
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