Bristol Bears were too fast, too strong and too advanced in their attacking shapes for second tier side Bedford Blues on Saturday as they ran in 11 tries in a comprehensive 67-19 victory to open their account in the 2024/25 Premiership Rugby Cup.
The Bears touched down through nine different try scorers as first team regulars Harry Thacker and Kalaveti Ravouvou both notched braces along with scores from Joe Jenkins, Kieran Marmion, Toby Fricker, Jack Bates, Benjamin Elizalde, Yann Thomas and Jake Heenan. Twenty-one-year-old fly-half Sam Worsley landed four conversions, with Benjamin Elizalde taking over the kicking duties in the second half to add four more points from the tee.
Bedford were never in the contest but showed character not to roll over and crossed the whitewash for a trio of tries from Tommy Herman, Will Maisey and Alfie Garside, with the latter two scores coming from Bears errors, an interception and turnover. Fly-half Maisey added two conversions.
Bristol, who have become specialists at being fast starters this season, crashed over the line after just 82 seconds when Worsley slipped a flat pass to Jenkins who burst through a tackle to score. Four minutes later Marmion was over as the Bears sliced through the visitors again, with Thacker prominent. Thacker was creator again for Bristol’s third score, looping off the back of a lineout to suck in the defence before feeding Fricker to cut a line and burst through a tackle and score. A driving maul then delivered Thacker over the line to wrap up the attacking bonus point inside 19 minutes.
Centre Joe Jenkins was forced from the pitch after taking a knock but that made no difference to the Bears with his replacement Jack Bates taking a low pass to score with his first touch in the match, after an eye-catching break from Marmion got the hosts into position to strike. Bedford were unable to live with the pace and intensity of the game and the Bears went the length of the field through Deago Bailey and Ravouvou to put full-back Elizalde in position to score to cap a special week after getting his first call-up to the senior Argentina squad along with number eight Benjamin Grondona.
Another powerful burst from Bailey, who has spent the start of the season on loan at Dings Crusaders, got the Bears into Bedford’s 22 again and Yann Thomas finished the attack by powering over the line from close range. Having raced to a 43-0 lead, Bedford hit back twice before the break with hooker Herman bullying his way over the line from close range after multiple drives from the forwards, and then Maisey picked off a pass from Bates to run in from 40m out. A last-ditch recovery tackle from Rovouvou looked to have dislodged the ball as he tried to score but the officials, without the benefits of the TMO, awarded the try.
It took 14 minutes for Bristol to score in the second half, with skipper Heenan delivered over the line by the maul. The ninth try of the match was far more flamboyant as Bailey stepped his way out of danger deep in his 22 to turn defence into attack and a minute later Worsley put a chip over the top of the visiting defence that bounced off the post pad and into the arms of Ravouvou to score.
And the Fijian was quickly on the board again as livewire Marmion, who would undoubtedly be a starter at most Premiership clubs, quick tapped from a couple of metres out from his own tryline and caught the Blues defence sleeping to speed away before feeding Ravouvou to allow him to show his speed and run home from 60m out.
There was still time for Thacker to cross from another catch and drive routine, with the backs coming in to add their weight. Bedford ended up having the final say as Bristol lost control of the ball and centre Garside snipped down the blindside to score.
The Bears now face a difficult second weekend in the competition with a headline exhibition game against Australia A on Friday night before facing Bath at the Recreation Ground in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Bristol Bears: 15. Benjamin Elizalde, 14. Toby Fricker, 13. Kalaveti Ravouvou, 12. Joe Jenkins, 11. Deago Bailey, 10. Sam Worsley, 9. Kieran Marmion; 1. Yann Thomas, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. Lovejoy Chawatama, 4. Kenzie Jenkins, 5. Joe Owen, 6. Paddy Pearce, 7. Jake Heenan (c), 8. Benjamin Grondona
Replacements: 16. Will Capon, 17. Louie Trevett, 18. Jimmy Halliwell, 19. Tom Doughty, 20. Aaron Tull, 21. Sam Edwards, 22. Jack Bates, 23. Harry Rowson
Bedford Blues: 15. Matt Worley, 14. Will Glister, 13. Alfie Garside, 12. Lucas Titherington, 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Will Maisey, 9. James Lennon; 1. Joey Conway, 2. Tommy Herman, 3. Beltus Nonleh, 4. Shay Kerry, 5. George Smith, 6. Luke Frost, 7. Joe Howard (C), 8. Archie Benson
Replacements: 16. James Fish, 17. Jamie Jack, 18. Oisin Heffernan, 19. Rory Ward, 20. Jac Arthur, 21. Alex Day, 22. Louis James, 23. Joel Matavesi
Referee: Jack Makepeace
Assistant Referees : Dan Jones and Jonathan Healy
Attendance: 6,306