Bristol 17-31 Bulls: Bears fall to heavy Investec Champions Cup defeat

Bristol number eight Magnus Bradbury scored with the final move of the match

Bristol Bears' hopes of progressing in the Investec Champions Cup were dealt a massive blow as they were overwhelmed by South African side Bulls.

Bulls dominated the second half after Bristol prop Max Lahiff was sent to the sin-bin, running in three tries for a bonus-point victory in Pool 1.

Gabriel Ibitoye and Magnus Bradbury replied but Bristol were well beaten.

The defeat leaves Bristol hoping Bordeaux Begles beat Saracens on Sunday before the Bears travel to face Pool 1 stragglers Connacht in a must-win final group game on Friday.

But even a bonus-point victory might not be enough to reach the last 16 if other results, notably Saracens' home match against pool leaders Lyon next Saturday, go against them.

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Bulls too strong up front

The Bulls, who left four World Cup-winning Springboks at home to rest, overpowered a Bristol side missing England props Ellis Genge and Kyle Sinckler through injury.

Bristol's starting props Sam Grahamslaw and George Kloska struggled and were replaced by Jake Woolmore and Lahiff nine minutes before half-time.

The visitors controlled the match from the start, taking the lead through Johan Goosen's penalty.

Soon after wing Sergeal Petersen raced over the line for a try converted by David Kriel, despite the Bulls being down to 14 after fly-half Goosen was sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on.

Bristol responded quickly with Marmion's try, created by AJ MacGinty cleverly delaying his pass and James Williams making the break to create space for the number nine to run over unopposed.

Bulls thought they had scored again on the stroke of half-time but Williams excelled himself by stripping the ball from Reinhardt Ludwig as the lock dived over the line.

The Bulls continued to dominate up front in the second half, with Lahiff sent to the sin-bin for an infringement at the scrum.

Prop Khutha Mchunu rumbled over the line after a superb team move, flanker Elrigh Louw powered his way past three Bristol defenders and stretched an arm over to score in the corner and hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels intercepted Bristol captain Steven Luatua's pass and sprinted 50m to secure the fourth.

Louw was sent to the sin-bin as Bristol rallied in the final 10 minutes. Ibitoye touched down in the corner after some slick passing and number eight Bradbury ran over from a ruck to score moments before the final whistle.

Line-ups

Bristol: Malins; Heward, Janse van Rensburg, Williams, Ibitoye; MacGinty, Marmion; Grahamslaw, Oghre, Kloska, Caulfield, Batley, Luatua (capt), Thomas, Bradbury.

Replacements: Capon, Woolmore, Lahiff, Owen, Heenan, Randall, Vakatawa, Lane.

Sin-bin: Lahiff (44 mins)

Bulls: Williams; De Klerk, Kriel, Vorster, Petersen; Goosen, Papier; Steenekamp, Wessels, Louw, Vermaak, Ludwig, Coetzee (capt), Louw, Gumede.

Replacements: Lange, Matanzima, Mchunu, Nortje, Slabbert, Johannes, Smith, Immelman.

Sin-bin: Goosen (10 mins)

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (Fra)