Bristol thrash Quins to book semi-final derby spot
Kalaveti Ravouvou goes airborne ahead of Luke Northmore to score Bristol’s third try
Gallagher Premiership
Bristol (26) 52
Tries: Kloska, Batley, Ravouvou, Mata, Ibitoye (2), Grondona, Janse van Rensburg Cons: MacGinty (6)
Harlequins (12) 26
Tries: Murley (2), Dombrandt, Hammond Cons: Benson (3)
Bristol secured their Premiership semi-final at Bath in style with a superb attacking display in a 12-try epic at Ashton Gate.
The Bears needed a win to be sure of a top-four spot and made the perfect start, registering a bonus point inside 24 minutes with close-range scores from George Kloska and Joe Batley and explosive Kalaveti Ravouvou and Viliame Mata tries.
Cadan Murley’s fine first-half double reduced the gap to a 14-point lead at the break.
Gabriel Ibitoye extended the advantage to 31-12 soon after the restart but memories of the 2021 ‘Bristanbul‘ comeback by Quins at Ashton Gate loomed large as the visitors notched quickfire tries from Alex Dombrandt and George Hammond to go within five points.
However, scores from Santiago Grondona and Ibitoye settled the nerves before Benhard Janse van Rensburg brought up the half-century as the Bears booked a trip to their West Country neighbours on Friday night.
Blistering start sets the tone for Bears
Noah Heward made his first Bears start at full back since January after injury while Pat Lam handed Argentina international lock Pedro Rubiolo his Bears debut.
With a semi-final spot out of reach Danny Wilson made three changes to the Quins starting XV as Jamie Benson made his first Premiership start at fly-half while Luke Northmore returned at centre and Nick David started at full back.
It took just 93 seconds for the hosts to break the deadlock as quick hands from MacGinty sent Ibitoye flying down the left wing and despite some good defence from Quins near their own line, prop George Kloska plunged over near the posts, with MacGinty slotting the extras.
The second try arrived inside five mins as lock Joe Batley stretched to touch down over the line after another powerful drive, with MacGinty again converting.
A penalty kick into the corner and a deep lineout paved the way for Luke Northmore to cross for Quins after an angled run on 10 minutes but the try was chalked-off for a forward pass from Dombrandt, who was then held-up over the line by Fitz Harding after a bulldozing run straight from the restart.
Quins got back in it on 17 minutes when Murley raced onto a clever chip forward from Benson on the 22 to catch a high bouncing ball and plunge over, allowing Benson to add two points from infront of the posts.
Bristol extended their lead just three minutes later as Harry Randall found space on the right and Fijian flyer Ravouvou raced down the whitewash to acrobatically dive over in the corner for his 11th try of the campaign, though the conversion sailed wide.
The onslaught continued and Mata produced a brilliant angled run and bulldozed his way under the posts through some rather static defence for Bristol’s fourth try and a bonus point on 24 minutes, with MacGinty notching the conversion to make it 26-7. Bears’ 16th try bonus point of the season is a new Premiership record.
Batley was denied a second try by another forward pass to the left wing before MacGinty’s pass was intercepted by Hammond in midfield and a long ball out wide paved the way for Murley to step inside his man and scorch down the left from inside his own half for his 11th try of the season just after the half-hour, though Benson missed the conversion attempt from out wide.
Gabriel Ibitoye beats Jamie Benson to the line and finished as joint top try-scorer with Ollie Hassell-Collins with 13
Bears battle back after nervy start
Six minutes after the turnaround Quins replacement Sean Kerr almost broke away but Bears won back possession and Ravouvou’s break down the left and some fine passing across the width of the field paved the way for Ibitoye to stroll into the right corner for his 12th try of the campaign, a new club record, against his former club, though the conversion was unsuccessful.
Bears nerved started jangling, as memories of the 28-point collapse in the 2021 semi-final against Quins returned as the visitors notched two converted tries in three minutes.
Dombrandt reduced the arrears after a slick dummy through the line from Benson created space and Quins added another from close range on 52 minutes after a break from Northmore, with Hammond diving through a crowd to touch down on the line, with Benson’s third conversion making it a five-point game.
The hosts could breathe again on 58 minutes when Grondona plunged over to end a series of goalline probes, with MacGinty adding the two points, and some lightning hands and feet from MacGinty saw the ball spread to Ibitoye on the left to jink his way to the line for try number 13, the joint most in the league this season, with MacGinty adding the extras from the whitewash to restore the 19-point lead and bring up 1,000 in his Premiership career for Bears and Sale.
As Quins wilted in the Bristol sunshine Bears were denied a penalty try for Benson’s slap into touch behind the posts, however Janse van Rensburg barged through a gap to dot down behind the posts to bring up the half-century, with MacGinty adding his sixth conversion.
The hosts saw out the final 10 minutes without further alarm to register their biggest ever win over Harlequins, secure their return to the semi-finals for the first time in four years and book a mouthwatering clash at the Rec on Friday night.
Bristol: Heward, Ravouvou, Janse van Rensburg, Williams, Ibitoye; MacGinty, Randall; Thomas, Oghre, Kloska, Rubiolo, Batley, Grondona, Harding, Mata.
Replacements: Thacker, Woolmore, Lahiff, Owen, Luatua, Marmion, Byrne, Bates.
Harlequins: David; Isgro, Beard, Northmore, Murley; Benson, Porter; Baxter, Walker, Lamositele, J Green, Hammond, Kenningham, Evans, Dombrandt.
Replacements: Jibulu, Els, Streeter, Launchbury, Lawday, Murray, Kerr, Halfpenny.
Referee: Luke Pearce
