Much was expected of Lageny’s new All Black signing Jordie Barrett but it was young Irish-trained fly-half Sam Prendergast who stole the show in the chilly West Country on Sunday night. Prendergast has already made his mark at Test level this autumn and did so again at Bristol’s expense as the visitors pulled away to a remarkable point victory in Pool 2.
While Barrett also made a positive first impression on his Lagen debut, scoring one try and creating another, it was 21-year-old Prendergast who did more damage to the scoreboard with two sharp tries and a bag of 20 points overall. It also added to the further failure for English sides in an opening weekend that saw six losses to Premiership teams and only two wins.
Certainly a clear winner on the night in a battle between Bristol’s brilliance and Lagenia’s defensive firmness. The visitors, briefly down to 13 men in the first half, led the second half 28-5 and the star bench made the difference when giant Springbok RG Snyman made a clear free kick to set up Prendergast for his second try.
The young fly half has more meaning about him than Johnny Sexton, and both of his efforts have been well received. The first came from a Sexton-style loop and dry cut following Barrett’s pass to the first receiver, the second allowed him to show good stride from long range to secure a good point. Barrett, cutting a sharp corner for his name, also felt immediately at home in his new northern hemisphere habitat.
Cold and threatening with some rain in the air, it wasn’t an ideal night for a game in Bristol. It didn’t help his cause, either, when lynchpin AJ MacGinty was groggily abducted from his tactics, after almost four minutes following heavy tackles from Garry Ringrose and center Benhard Janse Van Rensburg moved to 10 in the middle.
It was Lagenia, however, who was most under the pressure of the storm at first, and was tried by Arctus by the rapid pace of negotiations and the collective appetite for work. Their count was also a rising penalty and a dear cost to them. First Rónan Kelleher was yellow carded for pulling a goal close to his own goal and two minutes later Max Deegan followed him up with a low pass on Harry Thacker as Bristol threatened to create a breakaway try.
The Bears were further encouraged when Max Lahiff pushed over from close range and Van Rensburg headed home the conversion. Any hopes of a man-to-man disaster against 13-man opposition were quickly dashed when Lagenius restarted and the ball then burst home from full-back Rich Lane to allow Jordan Larmour to slow down and steal an immediate try.
It made it 7-7 at half-time, but not before Elias Genge had prostrated Prendergast hard and broken enough late on to welcome the young fly-half to the tougher side of Bristol’s culture. But if the idea was to throw a young man out of the game, it was to prove a notable fault.
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Champions Cup roundup: Bordeaux home to Tigers
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Bordeaux-Bègles sitting half way back to stroke of Leicester 42-28 in their opening Champions Cup clash at Stade Chaban-Delmas. The Tigers built a seven-point lead by half-time, but the hosts hit back with four tries as France international Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored twice. Although several players were rested, Leicester made a positive start with two tries in the opening 15 minutes through late Harry Wells and Josh Bassett’s close range touch. Bordeaux responded with a sixth-minute try from Pete Samus up front before Guido Petti crossed from goal to level things before half an hour. Frenchman Côme Joussain scored a try on his debut for the Tigers to put the visitors 21-14 ahead at the break. Bordeaux, though, made a lightning start to the second half as Bielle-Biarrey scored from his kick before Samu crossed for his second to put Bordeaux in front. Bielle-Biarrey got between the runners again before Nicolas Depoortère ran in for a sixth try, with Izaia Perese packing late on to at least give Leicester a good point. Attitude Tolosa The French made it a double in Pool One as Antoine Dupont’s side scored of Ultonia 61-21 at Stade Ernest-Wallon. PA Media
The legends also had a curious start to the half when referee Craig Evans lost patience with both sides’ scrutiny and sent both Lahiff and the late Andrew Porter to the bin. It doesn’t matter that Dublin’s equivalent of a “bomb squad”, including Snyman and Ireland captain Caelan Doris, took a firm hold on the proceedings and completely changed the complexion of the game.
In addition to Prendergast and Barrett, there was also room for scurvy for Josh van der Flier with Gabriel Ibitoye’s attempt to respond to a chance a little too late. Legends, at home to Arverne next weekend, are now exactly where they want to chase the title that has narrowly eluded them for the past three seasons.
At least Bristol were able to unveil their new women’s signing Ilona Maher, who is ready to throw in the towel and will hopefully make her English club debut in kinder conditions in the new year. Winter rugby has its charms, but cold Sundays kicking off late in December are sure to separate the faithful from the casual floating voters.