Gallagher Premiership
Saturday, October 30th 2021
Brentford Community Stadium

	London Irish	33
	Bristol Bears	45

Match Report

Will Carpenter reports from Brentford Community Stadium

Posted Saturday, October 30th 2021 @bristolsportwkc

Report: London Irish 33-45 Bristol Bears

Saturday, October 30th 2021

Bristol Bears ran in five tries and overcame three first-half yellow cards to earn a first away win of the season at London Irish.

Pat Lam’s side struck three times in six minutes to storm into a 19-0 lead inside 18 minutes, as maiden Premiership tries from Toby Fricker and Jack Bates followed Jake Heenan’s close-range effort.

But momentum quickly swung towards the hosts, as James Stokes’ try was followed by three yellow cards in eight minutes, with Heenan, Charles Piutau and Andy Uren all seeing yellow in quick succession.

Mike Willemse powered over to reduce the deficit on the stroke of half time, before Matt Rogerson levelled the scores early in the second period.

But Albert Tuisue’s yellow card for a high tackle on the outstanding Fitz Harding opened the door for the Bears – and they duly obliged. First Piers O’Conor spun out of a tackle to touch down for the bonus point, and after Sam Jeffries saw his try chalked off, Harding’s sensational offload sent Harry Thacker over with his first touch of the match.

Sheedy landed two penalties to extend the lead further, and despite late tries from Terence Hepetema and Kyle Rowe, Sheedy’s fourth three-pointer sealed a much-needed win on the road.

London Irish: Parton, Stokes, Rona, Van Rensburg, Hassell-Collins, Jackson, Phipps; Goodrick-Clarke, Willemse, Hoskins, Mafi, Simmons, Rogerson (c), Curtis-Harris, Tuisue.

Replacements: Creevy, Dever, Van der Merwe, Nott, Cooke, White, Hepetema, Rowe.

Bristol Bears: Piutau, Morahan, Bates, O'Conor, Fricker, Sheedy, Uren; Thomas, Kerr, Afoa, Attwood (cc), Joyce, Jeffries, Heenan (cc), Harding.

Replacements: Thacker, Lahiff, Armstrong, Hawkins, Thomas, Whiteley, Lloyd, Leiua.