BRISTOL Rugby equalled their club-record run of 13 consecutive league victories as they outscored London Scottish by eight tries to five in an entertaining regular-season finale.
Adam Hughes and Andy Short both scored twice for Bristol, with further tries from Luke Baldwin, Ross Rennie, George Watkins and a penalty try. There was cause for concern for director of rugby Andy Robinson, though, and not merely because his side conceded five tries, as both Jack Wallace (hamstring) and Ben Mosses (groin) limped off inside the opening 20 minutes.
With Bristol having secured top spot in the GKIPA Championship, and London Scottish unable to finish any higher than fifth, the game carried the air of a typical end-of-season fixture.
That made for plenty of attacking rugby, with Bristol falling 5-0 behind when Dan Newton’s cross-field kick bounced kindly for Jim Thompson, who gathered and raced away to score.
Bristol responded when Luke Baldwin dummied and dived over from close range, before the prolific Miles Mantella hit back for Scottish to give them the lead – racing on to Thompson’s kick after Mosses’ pass had been intercepted.
Bristol retook the lead when Rennie ran a smart supporting line for Marco Mama – taking the offload as Mama lost his footing – to score his side’s second try.
Hughes, on as an early replacement for Wallace, took James Hall’s pass and raced through a gap to make it 21-12 – before Short wrapped up Bristol’s bonus point inside 24 minutes after some fine interplay between Nick Koster and Adrian Jarvis.
Seven minutes later, Short, who has thrived since switching to the wing from the centre, scored his second and Bristol’s fifth try after Baldwin’s blindside break.
Mantella hit back with his second of the match, following Lee Millar’s break, before Hughes scored his second to see Bristol into a 40-17 lead after only 38 minutes. Off the final move of the first half, David Lyons put Mike Doneghan through a sizeable gap to ensure a half-time score of 40-24, with both sides having collected bonus points.
Scottish were the quicker starters after the break, full-back Thompson grabbing his second try after good work from blood replacement Tommy Spinks down the blindside.
Jarvis created Bristol’s next try with a beautiful inside pass to Short, who then fed Watkins, via Tristan Roberts, to score the visitors’ seventh try of the afternoon. Bristol kicked a rare penalty to make it 48-31, before referee Ian Tempest gave them what appeared a soft penalty try for an infringement at the drive.
London Scottish: J Thompson; M Doneghan, L Millar (D Mama 26-31 74), P Gidlow (A Reay 61), M Mantella; D Newton, S Stuart (J Pasqualin 77); J Kilbane (L Thiede 64), T Stagg (T Dunn 53), E Fry (G Hunter 77), T Hotson, D Lyons, N Best, M Everard (T Spinks 61), M Bright (capt; T Spinks 47-51).
Scorers: Tries – Thompson (2), Mantella (2), Doneghan. Cons – Millar (3).
Bristol: J Wallace (A Hughes 12); G Watkins, J Tovey, B Mosses (T Roberts 20), A Short; A Jarvis, L Baldwin (C Braley 61); J Hall, S McInally (R Johnston 54), J Hobson (G Cortes 64), G Townson (B Glynn 72), M Sorensen (capt), N Koster (M Eadie 54), R Rennie, M Mama.
Scorers: Tries – Baldwin, Rennie, Hughes (2), Short (2), Watkins, penalty. Cons – Jarvis (6). Pen – Jarvis.
Referee: I Tempest. Att: 2,155.
Article source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2517415/Womens-rugby-team-nude-charity-calendar.html
FULL-TIME: London Scottish 31 Bristol Rugby 55
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