Rugby / Bristol Bears
Spoils shared at Bears’ second Big Day Out
A Big Day Out in Cardiff is about much more than just 80 minutes of rugby – or 160 minutes in this double-header against Harlequins.
It finished 17-14 to Bristol Bears women under the roof of the Principality Stadium, with two tries from Emma Orr and one from Christiana Balogun.
Despite a dominant final quarter, the men fell to a disappointing 14-18 defeat in front of 45,119 spectators who had made the journey to the Welsh capital.
Scotland international Emma Orr scored two second-half tries for Bristol Bears – photo: Bristol Bears
There was an unfortunate outbreak of half-and-half scarves outside the stadium while inside, an opera singer sung Nessun Dorma and then the lights went off and a violinist played along to Seven Nation Army before the two teams took to the field.
Faces in the stadium were warmed like Welsh cakes with pyrotechnics ahead of kick-off.
Quins captain Alex Dombrandt had a try disallowed in the first minute and just as a minute’s round of applause to remember former Bristol captain Matt Salter was finishing, present-day captain Fitz Harding scored the Bears’ first try of the afternoon.
Then Dombrandt did cross the line but it was Quins’ only points of the first-half which saw a surprising amount of kicking from Bristol – even from a newly shorn Ellis Genge.
As the Bears went into the break 7-5, hundreds of dancers in yellow t-shirts took to the field of play while a DJ played from a temporary stage in the middle of the pitch.
Even a newly shorn Ellis Genge and the quick feet of Harry Randall couldn’t secure a win for the Bears men – photo: Bristol Bears
The second half saw Quins pull ahead thanks to a penalty from Jarrod Evans and further ahead through a try from Rodrigo Isgro.
Pat Lam rolled the dice, taking off Harry Randall for Kieran Marmion, with another replacement, Gabriel Ibitoye, unlucky not to score as Bears mounted a comeback that saw the warrior Steven Luatua score a try but eventually Bears falling tantalisingly short and Quins won only their third game of this Prem season.
Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack was played over the speakers after the final whistle rather than a rousing rendition of the Wurzels, with Lam’s team unfortunately putting on their worst display for some time on the biggest stage.
Big Day Out will undoubtedly return; hopefully with a W for both the men and the women as well as all of the associated fun and frolics.
Main photo: Bristol Bears
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