Bears keep the pressure on Chiefs

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: Bristol Bears kept the pressure on leaders Exeter Chiefs as Round Four got underway.

Bristol came from behind to beat Harlequins 27-19, with Exeter Chiefs beating Gloucester 28-20 – as the Bears moved into second place.

In the other Saturday match, Northampton Saints beat Worcester Warriors 29-10.

It was the Harlequins one-man show, Marcus Smith, against the might of the Bristol Bears.

Smith who scored a try, converted it and then kicked four penalties, was the sole point scorer for Quins .

Pat Lam’s side, who trailed 5-9 at half-time, ran in three tries in the second half to go with their first-half try.

“It was a simple choice [at half-time],” the Bears coach, Lam. said in his post-match reaction.

“[I told them:] ‘Fellas, if you want to keep playing like that, as individuals you might as well get back on the bus and go back and have Christmas. If you want to play the Bears way, make sure we start playing as a team because we were just 15 individuals out there.

“It was frustrating to watch, but fair play to the boys, they were more like the Bears in the second half and we came home strong.

“Last week we were ahead [at half-time,] but not playing well and the week before we were horrific so it’s something we’re going through.

“We know it’s something we will address and we can fix.”

All Saturday’s scores and scores

Harlequins 19-27 Bristol Bears

The scorers

For Harlequins
Tries: Smith
Cons: Smith
Pen: Smith 4

For Bristol Bears
Tries: Thomas, Luatua, Randall, Adeolokun
Cons: Sheedy 2
Pen: Sheedy

Teams
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 James Lang, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Ross Chisholm, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Danny Care, 8 Alex Dombrandt (captain), 7 Will Evans, 6 James Chisholm, 5 Glen Young, 4 Dino Lamb, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Scott Baldwin, 1 Jordan Els.
Replacements: 16 Elia Elia, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Simon Kerrod, 19 Hugh Tizard, 20 Tom Lawday, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Lennox Anyanwu, 23 Tyrone Green.

Bristol Bears: 15 Max Malins, 14 Siva Naulago, 13 Semi Radradra, 12 Piers O’Conor, 11 Ioan Lloyd, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Steven Luatua (captain), 5 Ed Holmes, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 John Afoa, 2 Will Capon, 1 Yann Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 Max Lahiff, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Jake Heenan, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Alapati Leiua, 23 Niyi Adeolokun. 

Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson & Andrew Jackson.
TMO: Wayne Barnes.

Exeter Chiefs 28-20 Gloucester

The scorers

For Exeter
Tries: Gray, Devoto, S.Simmonds 2
Cons: J.Simmonds 4

For Gloucester
Tries: Venner 2
Cons: Evans 2
Pen: Evans 2

Yellow Card: Ian Whitten (Exeter Chiefs, 25)

Teams

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 Joe Simmonds (captain), 9 Jack Maunder, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Sam Skinner, 4 Jonny Gray, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ben Moon.
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Marcus Street, 19 Don Armand, 20 Richard Capstick, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Tom Hendrickson.

Gloucester: 15 Kyle Moyle, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Jonny May, 10 Lloyd Evans, 9 Charlie Chapman, 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Lewis Ludlow (captain), 6 Jordy Reid, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Ed Slater, 3 Fraser Balmain, 2 Jack Singleton, 1 Val Rapava-Ruskin.
Replacements: 16 Henry Walker, 17 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 18 Ciaran Knight, 19 Alex Craig, 20 Seb Nagle-Taylor, 21 Toby Venner, 22 George Barton, 23 Tom Seabrook.

Referee: Tom Foley
Assistant Referees: Sara Cox & Neil Chivers.
TMO: David Rose.

Northampton Saints 29-10 Worcester Warriors

The scorers

For Saints
Tries: Biggar, Mitchell, Haywood, Penalty Try
Cons: Biggar 2, Penalty Tries Do Not Need Converting
Penalties: Biggar
Yellow Cards: D.Biggar 2′

For Warriors
Tries: Searle
Cons: Searle
Pen: Searle

Yellow Card: Melani Nanai Vai (Bristol Bears, 13)

Teams
Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank, 14 Matt Proctor, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Ahsee Tuala, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Teimana Harrison, 7 Lewis Ludlam (co-captain), 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Nick Isiekwe, 4 David Ribbans, 3 Paul Hill, 2 Sam Matavesi, 1 Alex Waller (co-captain).
Replacements: 16 Mikey Haywood, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Owen Franks, 19 Alex Moon, 20 Shaun Adendorff, 21 Tom James, 22 Tom Collins, 23 Taqele Naiyaravoro.

Worcester Warriors: 15 Melani Nanai, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Nick David, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Marco Mama, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Ted Hill (captain), 5 Andrew Kitchener, 4 Justin Clegg, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Niall Annett, 1 Ethan Waller.
Replacements: 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Marc Thomas, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Joe Batley, 20 Cornell du Preez, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Oli Morris.

Referee: Christophe Ridley (30th Premiership game).
Assistant Referees: Paul Dix & Jamie Leahy.
TMO: Nigel Carrick. Citing Officer: Jay Curts.