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Radradra stars as Bristol edge out Leicester to secure home semi-final

By PA
(Photo by PA)

Semi Radradra scored two tries as Bristol secured a home semi-final in the Gallagher Premiership play-offs with a 26-23 bonus-point victory over Leicester in a pulsating game at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

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Bristol’s win leaves them eight points clear at the Premiership summit and a home win over London Irish next Saturday will ensure that they finish top of the pile.

They gave the battling Tigers a lesson in chance taking with Max Malins and Harry Randall adding to Radradra’s efforts, with Callum Sheedy converting three of the four scores.

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Hanro Liebenberg and Julian Montoya scored Leicester’s tries in the second half, with Johnny McPhillips kicking three penalties and two conversions.

Bristol received a pre-match blow when Kyle Sinckler withdrew with a hamstring injury with John Afoa stepping up from the bench to replace him.

Bears soon suffered another setback when Radradra fumbled the kick-off to give the Tigers the chance of an early score. Roared on by a crowd of 4,000, the hosts threatened the try-line but poor handling at crucial times cost them dear.

However, they were still first on the scoreboard when McPhillips, playing at fly-half in place of George Ford, kicked a straightforward penalty.

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The home side then lost wing Harry Potter to injury with Fijian Nemani Nadolo coming on to replace him.

McPhillips’ penalty was the only score of an evenly-contested first quarter before Bears conjured up the first try of the game.

On their own 22, the visitors looked to be going nowhere but a neat off-load from Malins sent Siale Piutau away on a 45-metre run before the centre’s long pass provided Radradra with an easy run-in.

Leicester Tigers v Bristol Bears - Gallagher Premiership - Mattioli Woods Welford Road

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McPhillips succeeded with another penalty but Bristol responded with their second try.

On halfway, Randall, who was playing his first Premiership game since January, quickly took a short penalty before darting away to brush off some weak tackling and score. Sheedy’s conversion gave the visitors a 14-6 interval lead.

After the restart, McPhillips kicked his third penalty to keep Tigers in contention but their impetus continued to be hindered by the loss of line-outs on their own throw.

Leicester Tigers v Bristol Bears - Gallagher Premiership - Mattioli Woods Welford Road

Leicester brought on their South African powerhouse Jasper Wiese in the back row and they immediately won a scrum penalty but McPhillips was off-target with a 45-metre kick.

Tigers’ next replacement was scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth, who became the first player to reach 300 appearances in the Premiership when he was brought on.

The hosts continued to dominate the second half and were rewarded with a try from Liebenberg who was on the end of a scoring pass from McPhillips.

Leicester Tigers v Bristol Bears - Gallagher Premiership - Mattioli Woods Welford Road

However, Bristol immediately replied with a superb try when Sheedy’s well-timed pass sent Malins on an unopposed 60-metre run to the line.

Minutes later Bears had another when Leicester lost possession in their own half for Radradra to score his second of the game.

Bristol were not home and dry yet though, and they lost Jake Kerr to the sin-bin for dragging down a maul and Leicester immediately capitalised when Montoya finished off a driving maul.

But despite being placed under enormous pressure in the closing stages, Bristol just held on with 14 men having lost Nahuel Chaparro to a yellow card.

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J
JW 10 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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