Rugby / Bristol Bears
Bristol Bears draw against Australia XV at Ashton Gate
The famous green and gold graced the grass of Ashton Gate on Friday evening as an Australia XV took on Bristol Bears in an exhibition game.
The match, which ended in a 10-10 draw, was played just hours after it was announced that building work could finally get underway in 2025 on the much delayed Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter.
If that didn’t put a smile on the faces of sports fans in Bristol, then some outrageous offloads from Gabe Ibitoye would have before Bristol’s player of the season so far went off injured holding his shoulder.
is needed now More than ever
Gethin O’Callaghan replaced Ibitoye and the Academy centre will not forget his debut for the Bears, which started with the Australia national anthem before the game and continued with a rendition of Down Under by Men at Work during one extended break in play and even a look-a-like cam that picked out a Bears fan who bore a remarkable similarity to Dame Edna Everage.
With Harry Randall in the England squad taking on Australia at Twickenham on Saturday, it was left to his replacement at scrum-half, Oscar Lennon, a second half substitution for Kieran Marmion, to set up Benhard Janse van Rensburg for Bristol’s first try.
Harry Thacker thought he had scored five points with the last play of the first half but Bears went into the break 5-3 down before van Rensburg crossed with ten minutes gone in the second half to take Pat Lam’s men into the lead.
That lead was almost squandered in the final minute, with Australia’s Lachlan Anderson scoring in the corner following a cross-field kick but the conversion was missed leaving the spoils shared.
Fitz Harding jumps highest against Australia – photo: JMP
Main photo: Bristol Bears
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