Rugby / Bristol Bears
More of an Easter muddle than an Easter miracle
The day after a trial of the first away section at a Premiership match, it was business as usual at Ashton Gate as green Leicester Tigers jerseys were dotted around between the blue and white hoops of Bristol Bears.
Talking of business, it was business at the front and party at the back for Benhard Janse van Rensburg, but he had stiff competition for Bristol’s best mullet from the young mascot with who he ran out onto the pitch.
If those mullets were outrageous, it was nothing compared to the bit of skill from Kalaveti Ravouvou that gave Bristol their first try on a sunny Easter Sunday afternoon which ended in a disappointing 19-36 defeat.
While on the floor, the big Fijian threw a behind the body pass to Gabriel Ibitoye who gobbled up the Easter gift scored on his return from injury.
THAT IS INSANE!
Gabriel Ibitoye scores on his return to action but how about that ridiculous offload from Kalaveti Ravouvou 🤯#GallagherPrem | #BRIvLEI pic.twitter.com/I5Im77PfWa
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) April 20, 2025
But Ibitoye soon afterwards was holding his head in his hands as he got a bit of skill all wrong; throwing an over the head pass in the middle of the pitch to Ollie Hassell-Collins who scampered gratefully to the line.
That mistake from Ibitoye was sadly typical of much of this match. It was more of an Easter muddle than an Easter miracle
Trailing 5-22 at half-time, the rampaging Ravouvou pulled one try back for the Bears in the second half and Pat Lam’s men created opportunities in the second but mistake still followed mistake and Leicester took their chances.
With 10 minutes to go, Harry Randall scored following a fine run and pass from van Rensburg, and Randall almost got a second but for a slight knock-on.
Bristol had been spurred back into action, flowing rugby replacing the earlier fumbles, but it was the white – not the green – of Leicester who had the last laugh as their maul rolled over the line just as 80 minutes was up
It means that Leicester jump up the Premiership table at the expense of Bristol, whose next home game in May will be under the roof of Cardiff’s Principality Stadium against table-toppers Bath.
Main photo: Bristol Bears
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