Report: Bristol Bears 35-19 Zebre Parma

Pat Lam’s men ran in five tries courtesy Joe Batley, Will Porter, Semi Radradra, Ioan Lloyd and Yann Thomas, while fly-half AJ MacGinty landed five conversions in a dominant home display.

Batley opened the scoring in bizarre circumstances after 15 minutes, using his long leavers to pinch an interception from behind the Zebre try line.

Zebre hit back with a penalty try with Ioan Lloyd was shown yellow for a deliberate knock-on, but at the other end, quick thinking from Porter saw Bears grab a second, with the scrum-half pouncing on a loose ball in-goal.

Radradra showed his pace to go over from 22-metres out for try number three after more good work from Porter, and Lloyd cruised over for the bonus-point try shortly after to open up a commanding 28-7 half-time lead.

📂 Semi Radradra
└📁 Linebreaks
└📂 Disgusting offloads
└🤮 pic.twitter.com/bQgwWGyJ2x

— Bristol Bears 🐻 (@BristolBears) December 18, 2022

Early in the second period, Radradra spotted the gap to break clear before delivering a sublime round-the-back pass to the supporting Thomas who powered over from 10 metres out.

With 15 minutes left, Zebre scored in the corner through winger Jacob Van Wyk before Jacques du Toit powered over for a third, but it was a mere consolation as the Bears recorded back-to-back wins in the Challenge Cup.

A Christmas cracker 🎄#BRIvZEB | #BristolBears pic.twitter.com/mSU27biw6P

— Bristol Bears 🐻 (@BristolBears) December 18, 2022

Bristol Bears: Morahan, Bailey, Radradra, I.LLoyd, Ibitoye, MacGinty; Porter; Woolmore, Thacker, Tyack, Batley, Vui, Luatua (c), Heenan, Harding

Replacements: Kerr, Y.Thomas, Lahiff, Stooke, D.Thomas, Uren, Sheedy, O’Conor.

Zebre: Kriel, Van Wyk (2), Cronjé, Smith Jr, Gesi, Eden, Jelic, Fox-Matamua, Pelser, Bianchi, Zambonin, Uys, Neculai, Manfredi, Pitinari.

Replacements: Du Toit, Rizzoli, Nocera, Krumov, Kvesic, Casilio, Prisciantelli, Moscardi

Bristol Bears: Tries: Batley 14, Porter 19, Radradra 24, Lloyd 35, Y Thomas 57. Cons: MacGinty 14, 19, 24, 35, 57. Yellow: I.Lloyd 17, Batley 76

Zebre: Tries: Penalty 17, Van Wyk 65, Du Toi 78. Cons: Eden 78