Bristol Bears player ratings vs Bath | 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership

Bristol Bears player ratings: Bristol Bears leapfrogged Sale Sharks into third place in the Gallagher Premiership with a 36-14 win over league-leaders Bath on Saturday at the Principality Stadium.

With a home semi-final already secured for Bath, this was a weakened side that travelled over the Severn, but Pat Lam’s side were low on confidence having lost their last three matches.

Given their recent struggles, this was a slightly different Bristol. The attack still flowed, but it was a kick-heavy performance where defence came to the fore. They got the job done, with plenty of players sending a message to Steve Borthwick in the process.

Here’s how the players rated:

15. Rich Lane – 7.5
A classy finish for his try but produced an even more crucial intervention in the second half with a try-saving tackle in the corner

14. Gabriel Ibitoye – 7.5
Scored a well-earned try around the breakdown and brought energy in wide channels. Loves to get his hands on the ball and cause mayhem. A great start to a big few weeks for the winger as he pushes to make the England squad.

13. Benhard Janse van Rensburg – 8
Aerial misjudgement earned him 10 in the bin in the first half, but otherwise well-rounded as ever with 16 tackles to his name.

12. James Williams – 8
One of Bristol’s best defensive performances of the season, and Williams’ 15 tackles meant the Bears’ midfield was nothing short of a brick wall.

11. Siva Naulago – 6
Didn’t get many chances to stretch his legs, but kept his discipline in a game where that was no mean feat.

10. AJ MacGinty – 8
Controlled territory beautifully, added three conversions and kept Bristol ticking through some ragged periods. This was a stylistically different performance from the Bears, and MacGinty pulled the strings.

9. Harry Randall – 8.5
A Randall player of the match performance would usually suggest the scrum-half was at his scurrying best. He was threatening as ever, bit this was a measured performance from the 13-cap Englishman – a statement performance with Borthwick looking for a No.9 for the July tour after Alex Mitchell’s British and Irish Lions call-up.

1. Ellis Genge – 7
Two days after being selected for the Lions for the first time, the England loosehead carried with his typical venom.

2. Gabriel Oghre – 8
Try-scorer and relentless in defence. One of Bristol’s best all season and continues to put his hand up for higher honours.

3. Max Lahiff – 5.5
Threw his body about in defence, making 14 tackles during his 50 minutes on the field, but his discipline was a slight issue, receiving an offside yellow card in the first half.

4. Josh Caulfield – 6
A half-time replacement following a 40 minutes where he had made an impressive 13 tackles.

5. Joe Batley – 5
Part of a solid engine room, but a yellow card tarnished his outing. Physically effective before the brain fade.

6. Steven Luatua – 6.5
Leadership evident early on but forced off with an injury that will worry Lam ahead of the Sale clash.

7. Fitz Harding – 9
This was not all out attack from Bristol, and they needed to roll their sleeves up in defence. Their captain stood up to the challenge and led from the front with a match-leading 23 tackles.

8. Viliame Mata – 8
His second yellow card aside, the Fijian was immense. Carried relentlessly and effectively, busting through Bath’s defence and scoring a try at the end. In defence, just ask Bath’s Ciaran Donoghue how Mata performed.

Replacements – 8
Bath started to claw their way back in the second half, and when Bristol were reduced to 13 players, it looked like they were on the cusp of a calamitous collapse. But in a battle of the benches, the Bears out-matched an inexperienced set of Bath replacements, with hooker Will Capon scoring a try that sealed the win.