A strong Bristol Bears side ‘defended for their lives’ to deliver the English side a 19-5 win away at USA Perpignan to get their tilt at the European Challenge Cup off to a strong start.
A strong Bears side scored three first half tries through Charles Piutau, Fitz Harding and European debutant Joe Jenkins to set up the victory.
AJ MacGinty landed two of the three conversions but more impressively led an outstanding team defensive display, finishing joint top for completed tackles along with forwards Harry Thacker and Jake Heenan.
Perpignan’s catch and drive delivered a try for Eru Shahn just before the break but for the most part the hosts were kept on a leash by the Bears.
READ MORE: Perpignan 5-19 Bristol Bears LIVE Reaction and full highlights from Challenge Cup win
Proud Bristol defence coach Jordan Crane said: “It is a tough place to come but fair play to the come they showed some real character out there.
“All week we focused on starting fast, especially with us flying in for the game today, put them under pressure.
“In the second half, the tide turned and we had to defend for our lives there. There were some massive defensive sets in our 22, some massive stops at the maul to turn them over. The boys were unbelievable.
“We talk all the time about how we can be better and more consistent over 80 minutes and tonight I think was the closest we have been to that [this season]."
Bristol exploded out the blocks to score two tries inside the first 11 minutes, both from almost identical training ground plays off the top of the lineout.
The first, with just a minute and 49 seconds on the clock, saw the big guns combine. Man of the match Harry Thacker wrapped around the back of the lineout to take a pop pass from Fitz Harding and the hooker marauded into the midfield to make a sizable dent considering his unimposing frame. Semi Radradra, making just his second appearance of the season after recovering from knee surgery, won a collision despite running into two well-organised, pre-set defenders from the French hosts. His game line success allowed Will Porter to whip a two-man miss-pass to Piutau who hit a gap and powered his way over the line. Bang, bang, boom.
For the second try, having been put into an attacking position thanks to a wonderful 50/22 kick from Gabriel Ibitoye, Thacker looped again and hit Jenkins on the crash. Radradra took made a second dominant carry before Will Porter changed the direction of the attack down the blindside and nice hands saw MacGinty draw a defender and put Harding through a gap to run in untouched. Bang, bang, boom.
It was cutting edge personified and a welcome sight in Bear Country after a season of struggle.
The third try was far less polished and clean-cut but more impressive on the eye. MacGinty plucked the ball out of the wet night sky under pressure from Perpignan chasers and fed Steve Luatua who offload one-handed back inside to Jenkins. The 19-year-old drew in scrum-half Matteo Rodor and moved the ball into the tramlines for Fitz Harding to race onto, the cultured number eight tried to grubber the ball in behind the home defence only for fly-half Pato Fernandez to stick out a leg and block it like a goalkeeper. The rebounding ball looped and bounced into the arms of Jenkins who accelerated onto it to run through the tackle of former Wasps winger Ali Crossdale and then outpace prop Sacha Lotrian to run in, breaking out into the widest grin of the night as he dotted down.
Centre Jenkins, who has been taken under the wing of Radradra, is highly thought of by the Bears' coaching team and is one of the first of a crop of young players they believe will come through the academy to be first team regulars moving forward.
Crane said: "To be that physical away in France at just 19, it was impressive. He has got a massive future ahead of him. He has got some things to learn as well but it is an impressive start from him."
Just before the break a well-worked lineout move saw Perpignan throw to the back pod only to pop the ball down to Shahn at the front and the big lock span out of an attempted counter-drive by Yann Thomas, who seemed to be expecting a more pedestrian maul rather than explosive run, and power over.
Bizarrely, that was the end of the point scoring with a frenetic second half somehow ending scoreless.
Perpignan, playing with the freedom of a side trailing 14 points at home and chasing the game played with increasing adventure while the Bristol lineout that functioned so well in the first half and impressive discipline began to slip, reducing their try-scoring chances and piling the pressure on.
But having leaked the second most points in the Gallagher Premiership this season, the Bears stood strong in defence on Friday night, with their combating of the Perpignan maul particularly prominent in delivering victory.
Italian United Rugby Championship side Zebre come to Ashton Gate next weekend.
USA Perpignan: 15. Boris Goutard, 14. Ali Crossdale, 13. Eddie Sawailau, 12. Alivereti Duguivalu, 11. Lucas Dubois, 10. Pato Fernandez, 9. Matteo Rodor, 1. Sacha Lotrian (c), 2. Lucas Velarte, 3. Ma'afu Fia , 4. Tristan Labouteley, 5. Eru Shahn, 6. Lucas Bachelier, 7. Brad Shields, 8. Joaquin Oviedo.
Replacements: 16. Victor Montgaillard, 17. Xavier Chiocci, 18. Akato Fakatika, 19. Posolo Tuilagi, 20. Valentin Moro, 21. Lenny Viola, 22. Dorian Laborde, 23. Theo Forner,
Bristol Bears: 15. Charles Piutau, 14. Luke Morahan, 13. Semi Radradra, 12. Joe Jenkins, 11. Gabriel Ibitoye, 10. AJ MacGinty, 9. Will Porter, 1. Yann Thomas, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. Max Lahiff, 4. Joe Batley, 5. Chris Vui, 6. Steven Luatua (c), 7. Jake Heenan, 8. Fitz Harding.
Replacements: 16. Jake Kerr, 17. Jake Woolmore, 18. Jay Tyack, 19. Elliott Stooke, 20. Daniel Thomas, 21. Tom Whiteley, 22. Callum Sheedy, 23. Ioan Lloyd,
Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Dan Carson (Ireland) and Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland)
TMO : Olly Hodges (Ireland)
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