Bristol Bears turn the tables on Saracens

The last time Saracens met Bristol Bears (in Round 6), the latter received  a systematic hiding, 47-13. As the teams took the field at Ashton Gate, Saracens might have been forgiven for harbouring a notion that they might, once again, have an easy time of it. The result was, however, quite different, as the Bears held on for a hard-fought 16-12 victory.

The game itself was a prosaic spectacle, heavily dominated by the boot, in wet conditions. Alex Goode and Callum Sheedy kept their respective sides in the game as they traded penalties.

With just four minutes left, Bristol were awarded the penalty try which ultimately decided the game in their favour.

Bears’ head coach Pat Lam said:

"It wasn't beautiful weather but, if we want to be where we are going, you have to get excited by playing how you have to play.

"Things like the weather were in Saracens' favour with the pack they had picked, and we didn't have as much time on the ball.

"But our defence and our scrummaging were huge. Credit to our coaches for that. The boys gutsed it out. We hung on in there in the end.

"Good teams when they need to defend, they defend. Everyone knows us for our attack - but we want to get our defence right, too."