George Barton’s reliable kicking proved decisive as Gloucester Rugby triumphed 16-8 over Bristol Bears in a rain-soaked clash at Ashton Gate on Sunday. This victory places the Cherry and Whites atop Pool A in the PREM Rugby Cup while leaving Bristol at the bottom.
Bristol took a slender 8-7 lead into halftime, thanks to a try by Rich Lane and a penalty from Sam Worsley. However, despite their strong start, the Bears faltered in the second half, unable to break through Gloucester’s stubborn defence and precise game management.
Gloucester got on the board first through a try by Mikey Austin, expertly converted by Barton. The dependable full-back then kicked three crucial second-half penalties that ultimately secured the win and ended Gloucester’s streak of seven consecutive defeats across competitions.
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Bristol faced last-minute lineup changes with the withdrawals of Steven Luatua and Noah Heward, replaced by less experienced players Ollie Harris and George Taylor. Despite these setbacks, the Bears started brightly with Harry Thacker captaining in his 150th game for the club. However, Gloucester, fielding a near first-choice squad under director of rugby Skivington, showed intent from the outset.
Early Bristol pressure yielded no points, as Gloucester capitalised on their first visit inside Bristol’s 22. An offside penalty put Charlie Atkinson in position, and a series of slick phases allowed scrum-half Mikey Austin to score. Gloucester’s defence then held firm throughout the half.
Bristol responded through a skilful try by Lane, who seized an opportunistic offload from Worsley. But Worsley missed the conversion, leaving Gloucester leading 7-5 at that stage. Worsley redeemed himself with a 35-meter penalty before halftime, making the score 8-7 in Bristol’s favour.
The second half was marked by challenging wet conditions, making scoring opportunities scarce. Barton struck early with a 40-meter penalty to reclaim the lead, then added another to extend Gloucester’s advantage. Gloucester’s pack grew increasingly dominant at the scrum, frustrating the Bears' attempts to regain territory.
Despite Ross Byrne’s missed long-range penalty and a charged-down drop goal attempt, Gloucester’s defence remained steadfast, repelling Bristol’s late onslaught. Barton’s final penalty in the dying moments put the result beyond doubt, denying Bristol even a losing bonus point.
Following this win, Gloucester enjoys a weekend break, while Bristol prepares to host Exeter at Ashton Gate on Saturday.
Bristol Bears Starting XV:
15 Rich Lane, 14 Ollie Harris, 13 Benjamin Elizalde, 12 Jack Bates, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 Sam Worsley, 9 Sam Wolstenholme; 1 Max Lahiff, 2 Harry Thacker, 3 Jimmy Halliwell, 4 James Dun, 5 Joe Owen, 6 Luka Ivanishvili (c), 7 Benjamin Grondona, 8 (position not specified).
Replacements:
16 Tomas Gwilliam, 17 Sam Grahamslaw, 18 Sam Scott, 19 Steele Barker, 20 George Taylor, 21 Max Pepper, 22 Raff Weston, 23 Charlie Powell.
Gloucester Rugby Starting XV:
15 George Barton, 14 Josh Hathaway, 13 Josiah Edwards Giraud, 12 Max Knight, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Mikey Austin; 1 Dian Bleuler, 2 Seb Blake, 3 Afo Fasogbon, 4 Matias Alemanno, 5 Hugh Bokenham, 6 Will Trenholm, 7 Harry Taylor (c), 8 Jack Clement.
Replacements:
16 Manaaki Boyle Tiatia, 17 Archie McArthur, 18 Ciaran Knight, 19 Josh Basham, 20 James Venter, 21 Rhys Price, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Will Butler.
Match Officials:
Referee – Harry Walbaum
Assistant Referees – Anthony Woodthorpe, Mike Hudson