Bristol go fourth with big win at Newcastle
Bristol Bears moved back into The Prem's top four as they cruised to an eight-try victory at bottom club Newcastle Red Bulls. The bonus-point win took Bristol one point ahead of Exeter Chiefs, who drop to fifth, before their game at Gloucester on Sunday. Early tries from successive plays from Rich Lane and Kalaveti Ravouvou put the Bears in control and they never looked back.
Tom Jordan scored again before the break and tries just after half-time from Noah Heward and Matias Moroni finished off the contest, while Benhard Janse van Rensburg added two tries and Harry Thacker crossed late on. For the Red Bulls, Adam Brocklebank grabbed a try in the first half with further scores in the second from Christian Wade and Josh Hodge. It was a fifth straight loss and a 13th out of 14 for the home side this season, who remain eight points behind Harlequins in ninth.
Earlier on Friday it was announced that Dan McFarland will be Newcastle's head coach next season. But there are still a number of weeks remaining in this campaign before he and the Red Bulls' team of new players arrive and they were no match for the play-off chasing Bears. Pat Lam's side showcased their attacking game in scoring their first try as they counter-attacked from deep thanks to Moroni with a lovely chip kick before he flung a pass back for full-back Lane to run in.
That was his last involvement as he went off injured, only for replacement Ravouvou to score with his first try after Bristol had attacked from the resulting restart. Brocklebank powered over from close range for his first ever Prem try but Scotland international Jordan waltzed through a gap in the Red Bulls defence minutes after. Heward dotted down the bonus-point try in the 42nd minute and Moroni went over against his old club shortly after, while Janse van Rensburg helped himself to two before replacement hooker Thacker rounded off the scoring in the last minute.
The big concern for director of rugby Lam will be losing a number of players to injury ahead of the run-in, including games against the top two in Northampton Saints and Bath. For Newcastle, Wade was on hand to score his second Prem try for them and the 95th of his career to move within six of Chris Ashton's all-time record of 101. There was also a try to cap a good performance on his home return for full-back Hodge, although they could not muster a fourth to grab a bonus point.