Ep 230 - Season 8 starter. Pre season news, first Prem Cup game and thoughts on the campaign ahead

The lads are back for another season.

They whip through news and updates from the off season, briefly review the first Prem Cup game and then give their thoughts, hopes and opinions on the season ahead.

Is this the year?

Join Pete, Lee and Miles for cheeky beer and a bit of Bristol rugby banter...

Transcript

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SPEAKER_02 0:00

My man is Genj and you're listening to Bears Beyond the Gate Podcast.

SPEAKER_01 0:09

You're listening to Bears Beyond the Gate, a Bristol Bears podcast made by fans for fans. Created at the start of the 2019 20 season, we've been going for a full seven years and somehow have published 230 episodes, the vast majority of which have included plenty of cheeky beers and enormous amounts of rugby banter. Our unique selling point, apart from being the only Bristol Bears podcast in existence, is that we try to be as regular as possible, knock out each episode with minimal editing for the Monday morning dog walk or commute, and try not to take ourselves too seriously. We don't profess to be rugby experts, but we simply comment on the games that we watch, some that we don't, and anything else that interests us. Our fact-checking can sometimes be suspects and we don't always get things right, but we do try to give a balanced view in order to represent the viewpoints of the whole range of Bristol Bears supporters. In the quiet times, we've also organised the odd interview with the likes of Dave Atwood, Joe Joyce, Callum Sheedy, Dan Thomas, Ian Madigan, Andy Uren, Jake Heenan, and the legendary James Dunn, the only guest alongside CEO Tom Taton, who has braved a live recording with us at the world-famous Bristol Beer Factory Tat room. And we've even done one live show. It's been an absolute blast, and we have made many friends along the way. And as a result, boys, we're back for more. I'm Pete, and I'm joined by Miles and Lee for a cheeky beer and a bit more rugby banter. Well, boys, it's uh we decided that we ought to do the pod again. It's going to be a bit of a soft landing to the season, nothing too fancy. We have done a few things in the past where we've we've tried to have guests on the first one or whatnot, but I thought we'll do a relatively soft landing. Prem Cup was on Saturday, so the season has kind of started, although the real business doesn't really get going until the end of September. But anyway, um, because it's a Monday night, we we can't do it at the Bristol Beer Factory chat room. So we we're on Zoom, which is quite unusual for us, but it's it's good to see your faces anyway. Um, very, very quickly, let's start with you, Lee. Have you had a good summer? I haven't really seen you for uh for a few months. I bet you've been working pretty hard, haven't you?

SPEAKER_03 2:17

It's just been work, work, work really key. I mean, I've got two weeks until my my holiday late garden, and I cannot wait. Um, although I will say two weeks ago, I did get my my first taste of uh preseason rugby and it's coming from rugby code with um with your mate Carl coaching and I have to say what a brilliant little setup there is down there, and um you know really hardworking coaches, so it was nice. It gave me uh it gave me a flavor for things to come for the new season.

SPEAKER_01 2:52

It kept things ticking over, like it. And uh what about you then, Miles? What have you been up to?

SPEAKER_04 2:57

Um uh staying in the country to be honest with you, a little cheeky holiday down in Cornwall, and then multiple visits to Devon, no doubt, like yourself. I haven't watched any rugby in any shape or form, and I I dare to profess I I couldn't even make it to the weekend's Prem Cup. And this evening, I'm ashamed today. I'm even having a decaf coffee instead of a cheeky beer. So but we'll enjoy reading about rugby nonetheless.

SPEAKER_01 3:21

We've already broken our uh copyright there on Cheeky Bear. Well, yeah, same same with you. I mean, I I've had a nice summer. Obviously, people know I'm a teacher, so I've had it's been a long, hot summer. Did watch a bit of rugby early on with the Nations Cup. Um, we might mention that in a minute, and uh yeah, you know, kept a little bit of an eye on what was going on pre-season because I thought we might need it for our first pod. But yeah, I'm back at school now, back into work, back on the and when I go to back back to work, it kind of feels like the uh the season is about to begin. So yeah, it's it's really exciting. Renewed the season ticket. Um, so uh unfortunately, like Miles, had already booked something for Saturday before the fixtures came out. So I've already missed the first game, which sort of annoys me because I feel like I've lost money already, because uh obviously I paid for it. But anyway, let's crack on. So what I thought we'd do today, boys, we'll have a quick whip through some of the things that came up from the off season and then uh touch on some of the things going on with Bristol Bears women because I think there's been a real bit of a reboot with them after a pretty disappointing season last year. And then obviously there was a game Saturday. Um, I've watched a little bit of the replay, I read a few things about it, so maybe make a couple of comments on that and then finish off with our kind of predictions for the season, but maybe allude to a Q ⁇ A that Pat did that was uh where he did a live one apparently at the club, but he also did a kind of live one on Instagram, which did involve him answering one of questions that I submitted, and it was the first one that came out of the bag. So uh I thought it'd be good for us to just keep reminding the boys down at the club that we still exist. So quite a lot to get through. So let's see how we get on. So what I thought we'd start with first was news from news from the off-season boys. Um, first thing first, I mentioned just now, I mean, it seems a long time ago, but there were some internationals early, well, in July, and we did have a bit of Bristol representation, a little bit more than usual, because uh we had two new England representatives in the summer, as well as Genji, obviously. We also had George Klosker made his debut, and um we also had uh Bernard Yancey van Rensburg pulling on the Red Rose of England. Yeah, absolutely. And uh and obviously Lois Reese Samut and Tom Jordan as well representing um their country. And also, just to add, because I don't want to get pelters from the guy that always tells me I never mentioned the under-18s, but we did have um Wil Moore and Caden Corbett got into the England under-18s men's matchday squad to face uh France in the uh the under-18 series. So we've had a bit of international representation. We were promised this quite a long time ago that we'd have Bears players playing for England, and it's uh it's starting to get there. So, first things first, I mean, I think the big issue with that is is Bernard Yancey Van Rensburg. Uh we probably did discuss this uh earlier on, Lee. But what do you think about uh about his him representing England? And I think he scored with his first touch as well, didn't he? I think when he came on in one of the games.

SPEAKER_03 6:22

Yeah, I've got no but if Yancy Van Rensburg wants to play for England, which he obviously does. Personally I've got no issue with it at all. Um I know you know there's there's you know a lot of talk and conjecture about you know what he's really South African South African, you know, he's a proper sound. Um I mean to be honest, I'd rather see him play in in the white red race than than I would for South Africa. So good luck to him.

SPEAKER_01 6:55

Yeah, anything to add, Miles?

SPEAKER_04 6:57

No, I I mean I think it's a great decision, nothing wrong with it at all. You know, he's hard as nails, he puts uh he plays amazingly for Bristol Bears, so you know he was obviously desperate to play on the international circuit, and uh tough South Africa, you're you're right, hasn't broken any rules, and uh good on him. I think it's an amazing decision.

SPEAKER_01 7:17

And well, it's actually quite interesting. He was he was actually on the first uh rugby union weekly this week as well. He was interviewed on it, and um they asked him obviously about it, and and he was very very good about it. He said, you know, I just I I kind of shut off the the social media at the time because he said there were lots of people who were quite happy for me, but obviously some that weren't. And he said, All I want to do is I wanted it was an opportunity to to play at a level that I'd never played at. And and he goes, I just want to play the best for any club, and I want to play the best for Bristol, and I got selected and I wanted to play the best for that level, and it was an amazing experience. Everyone was great, welcoming. Um, and I thought it was really easy. He dealt with it, and if really well, and obviously, we're not rugby union weekly isn't massive competition to us, so I would recommend everyone to go and have a listen. I thought he he spoke really well and you know acquitted himself well to the wider rugby audience um fair play.

SPEAKER_04 8:14

I bet even Coach Pat was immensely proud of him as well, wasn't he?

SPEAKER_01 8:17

You know what? The only disappointment with that interview was that it was actually quite normal. He didn't really there was a lot, there was a few credits to the boys in the camp, but there wasn't a lot of cliches. It's almost like he's had some media training, which is maybe a downside of him kind of going to the next level, because he'll become too polished, he'll be too polished in his chat.

SPEAKER_03 8:35

I mean there is one thing I would say now. I mean, Courtney Law's been quoted in the the rugby paper this week as saying, you know, basically the England um the English uh players that are playing abroad, they should be able to play for England without you know, no matter what country they're playing in. I do I do totally agree with that as well.

SPEAKER_01 8:54

Yeah, I think I mean this was the slight contradiction about you know, someone who's been in England for five years can play, even if they they literally are not English, but somebody's you know has gone to choose to play abroad, you know, to better their game and probably become a better player for it. We don't benefit from that. So yeah, it's an ongoing debate, isn't it? Um we'll see. But yeah, apparently, I mean, I think just off the bat, I think um which of the Willis ones went to Bordeaux and he scored two tries on debut for them, I think, and in the top 40 case like and also I think um someone said that Joe Marchant had come back, he's playing for sale now, and he he came back to play. And he, I mean, obviously he'll be eligible again now, but he he he looked a much better player for it. But there you go, anyway. Right, moving on, boys. We're gonna be rapid. The next thing on my list was a bit oh, I only mentioned this because it was quite I wanted to read tongue in cheek something tongue in cheek. But one of the other things that we had is we had a massive new signing, uh and it and it wasn't Ethan from Bath, it was Foot Anstey, our new major sponsors. Um, and I'm just gonna quote what was said on the website because I just think it's very important that we embrace you know our new sponsors. So it's said on the Lamb site that we we have uh a landmark long-term partnership with national law firm Foot Anstee, marking a new era of collaboration on and off the field. The multi-year agreement represents one of the most progressive partnerships in the club's history, aligning two ambitious organizations with shared values around growth, high performance, and team delivery. Together with these the vision for excellence, innovation, and meaningful community engagement, in a significant expansion of the principal partner relationship and in line with the firm's focus on responsible business, Foot Anstey will also become the principal partner of the Bristol Bears Foundation, the club's award-winning charitable arm, reflecting a shared commitment. Off the pitch, Foot Anstey also becomes the Bears' preferred exclusive provider of legal services, providing a full range of legal solutions to the club and its players over the term of the partnership. Wow. I mean, take a breath. That's incredible. Lee, you've got your hand up already. You can barely contain yourself. What are you gonna say?

SPEAKER_03 11:11

That sounds like the typical wallets that would come from a marketing agency.

SPEAKER_01 11:18

Yeah. But we are a marketing agency. That's exactly why I wanted to chip that up for you so you could volley it in the top corner. I mean, there's a couple of things that came to me is that I'll tell you, one person who's not gonna be happy is Dave Atwood, because I thought Dave Atwood provided all the legal services for the players when they when they when they had to go to see the RFU. So he's been put out of a job by Foot Ann Steam. Um, and one of our friends, the uh our very good friends, I think it was Alice, said that it she just can't get her head around the fact it sounds a bit like a foot cream supplement as well. But let's not joke around, I'm sure they're pumping a load of money into the club and it's much needed in the rugby arena, isn't it?

SPEAKER_04 12:00

And I and if you add to that, I I think this season to get a sponsor before the shirts were printed, well done, Bristol Bears.

SPEAKER_01 12:09

And it's and it's not a company that Steve Lansdow already owns as well, which is is good. And it's not, although there's always a bit of trepidation with our major sponsors when you start with Too Good International and Hubu. I mean, if they're a national law firm, and I must confess, which is probably not a bad thing, I've never heard of them, so which is probably because I you know have kept out on the straight and narrow. So uh so fair play.

SPEAKER_03 12:33

I think I mean let's never representing me, I repeat.

SPEAKER_04 12:38

That made them got an opposite with me, word. Yeah, it can't be that big, can they?

SPEAKER_01 12:42

Anyway, we do but jest. I don't want to, but it is. I mean, it you know, this sort of thing is quite important, but I just thought it was quite funny because it kind of the way it was said, it's as if we've all got to like bow down and say, not for Antie, Jesus. So uh fair play. Anyway, moving on. There, obviously, over the summer there was a little bit of movement. There were some signings and there were some contract extensions. Um, and I should have said this when we talked about England, but we also George Klosker, we should, you know, massive, massive congratulations to him. And actually, you know, that is something that we have been expecting. We, you know, we were sold Bristolians playing for Bristol, Bristolians representing England, and and you know, he has he is the kind of you know, along Gen along with Genji, obviously, which is slightly different because Genji went away and came back, but George Klosker is kind of our our you know, is one of the success stories of of the reformed academy um and so on. So he he signed an extension, which is great. Um, Jimmy Halliwell sort of committed long term, so he's kind of moving out of the academy, and we might mention him later. Um, and then we did have a few. I mean, the irony of irony is we were like, you know, we're gonna have a you know a small squad, and then we we seemed to sign injury cover before the season had even started. And we had big Josh Caulfield re-signing that second row, which did raise the question of why did we let uh James Dunn go, but you know, that's that's maybe a debate for another time. Um, Oscar Lennon, he's he's he's been back more times than Nick more times than Nikki Thomas in the old days. In fact, I think Oscar Lennon's got bought a flat in Bristol and just keeps it uh keeps it empty, just in case.

SPEAKER_04 14:20

He's like a bigger out of that, isn't he?

SPEAKER_01 14:21

Yeah, and then very recently we we had some kind of short-term signings maybe to cover us for pre-season. And and actually, Pat made a good point is that sometimes these signings aren't necessarily for playing, but it's actually for bolstering the training so that there are enough, you know, there's two teams to play in training. So we kind of sometimes forget that. But we got um Harry Wells, who was a sort of couldn't be more Leicester Tigers than you could imagine, but he was without a club, and I mean he's gonna provide a lot of grunt, and um, and then Tom uh sorry, Will uh Max Clark, I should say another long-haired uh player who I think it was Bath, wouldn't he, for a while?

SPEAKER_02 14:58

So it was you know what I really rated him.

SPEAKER_01 15:00

I yeah, I watched some. I thought he was great. He'll look at look, he'll look at see what happened to uh you know Mateus Moroni and you know, see what happened to Moroni. Morone comes in on the red eye for one game and suddenly gets a uh a full-term contract and regenerates his international career. I think Max Clark probably says the same. And actually, talking of that, I think it's right in saying that Moroni got injured, didn't he? A facial injury for Argentina and may well be out for a few weeks. It could be out for a while. So actually, Max Clark, you know, he it's a bit like you know, comes in on a comes in as a sort of cover teacher and then gets the full-time job. So yeah, we'll keep an eye on that. Ums on that? I mean, it was it was kind of you know, it was bits and pieces. We did most of the business early on, didn't we? And you know, we have discussed the case.

SPEAKER_04 15:46

Yeah, I mean, you know, we we we signed a sort of like championship players fairly early on, didn't we? Um you know, added to that like Toby Wilson, Soul Moody, who we guess we've got Louis Sinclair, yeah, Khalik Karim. I think those are the sort of you know the early signings, weren't they?

SPEAKER_01 16:02

Yeah, so yeah, no, I mean a bit, but we'll we may come back to that at the end when we talk about the squad and and squad for the season and whatnot. Um what else? Oh, yeah. One thing that annoyed me on that is that I then went on the website to look at like I wanted to double check what what the squad was, and this was kind of late August, maybe mid to late August, and of course, all the people that had either just been signed or had been away on international duty, they weren't wearing the new home kit. They were wearing or there was a blanket last year's kit, and I just thought, I know they probably like they probably have a date when they do the the sort of you know, the photographing day of them wearing to go on the website, but it still just looked a little bit village, and like you know, you how difficult is you could just like as soon as they're back from international, just even send them a shirt and just say take a picture or something. And I I haven't actually I was gonna check see if they've updated it yet, but it was just one of those things where it just looks a bit village. I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 16:57

It was the same, it was the same last night and all the players, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:00

Yeah, I mean, and uh so anyway, that was just a little goat.

SPEAKER_04 17:03

Almost when you know you do the school photo and some Muppet forgets to bring his school blazer, so like you know, one person has just got to be a good one.

SPEAKER_02 17:10

If you want a personal anecdote, if you want a personal anecdote, sorry mate, I've never had a school blazers, so I'm I'm out of my debt here. This is above my pay grade.

SPEAKER_01 17:19

Well, if you want a personal anecdote, I I played all blooming season for Bishops and Thirds, and then this penultimate game of the season, I was surplus to requirements, and the captain then chose that game to do the the squad photo, and then we subsequently got promoted, and then that's the promotional photo they're using. And I was I texted and said, Well, what do you want to do? Do you want to shall I photoshop my face in the bloke that's played like you know nine to ten games, stalwart? So I know how you know it's it's unacceptable. It's unacceptable. Yeah, moving on. Um, the other big thing that you know, we look for sort of things that happen in the summer that the fixtures were oh, actually, the fixtures were released, but I'll come back to the kit because the good thing about we actually got our kit sorted very early, didn't we? Which was really good. Yeah, yeah. And I I think um we went back to hoops for the home kit, uh having a sort of season of the dark blue, and and we've we had a kind of uh an away kit that was inspired by the Bristol white beam, so the sustainability thing, and then we had a funky third kit that was very much wasn't called the European kit, it was the third kit, which was uh a sort of a Bristolian link with like lots of Bristolian uh phrases spattered all over it. So I'm gonna come to you, Miles. Any thoughts on those three kits?

SPEAKER_04 18:36

Uh yeah, I I mean I I like love the fact that we've gone back to the hoops of two seasons ago. I think it's been sharpened up a bit. There's a nice little blue trim, there's no slightly odd blank square on the back where players would have their numbers and fans had nothing at all, you know, where we put our logo on. I I like it a lot. I I couldn't figure out on the awake it what it was, but you probably said that's probably the flowers of the horn beams, the white beams, not the horn beams. Right, Miles, steady on, mate. I like it. It's it's it's it's slightly undertone. There's no nonsense about it. And I I see some fans were wearing it already at the weekend. And the third kit it's busy. That's all I can say. It's a bit busy.

SPEAKER_01 19:20

What about you, Lee? Because you're the proper Bristolian. What's your thoughts on that third kit?

SPEAKER_03 19:25

Well, the third kit is is probably my least favourite. Having said that, I I I think you know, all three areas. I I do like the home kit. I think it's like my short thing is for me is a bit close uh you know, we've got four or five t-shirts already. So I I probably wouldn't be spending any money on that as well. I did go to the club shop and I have bought a couple of t-shirts. I don't know if you've always been in lately, but there's uh you know, a couple of nice t-shirts in the in the club shop now. Yeah, um sort of I spent me money that way instead.

SPEAKER_01 20:06

Yeah, yeah, they've got a bit of travel wear, aren't they? I think they brought it sounds like the the clopp's shop's quite well stocked. I gotta say, boys, I I'm gonna go against the grain. I absolutely love that third kit. I think it's brilliant. I love I love the way that they've they're linking it to Bristol, they're trying to create, you know, they're you know, rugby gets a bad press sometimes as being a posh middle class sort of game, and we know that it isn't because we do know that particularly somewhere like like Bristol, but also Gloucester, you know, certainly not middle class wankers the whole time go into it. Um and I I like the fact that they've made a massive effort to link it to the local area to give it an identity, and and I, you know, miles, you're busy, but I I feel like if you invested 80 quid on that shirt, you get your money's worth because you could spend hours like looking at it and reading all the phrases and you you get a lot of you'd get a lot out of it. And I think you'd get a lot of people chatting to you when you're wearing it around town. And so I'm I'm I'm a big fan. I haven't bought it.

SPEAKER_04 20:59

I agree, but I'd like to see someone wear it and then yeah, I'd compliment them. It's it'd I like I like it. I'm tempted.

SPEAKER_01 21:06

I'm tempted. I I I reckon that there's the odds are pretty short odds that uh one of those boys is gonna those those shirts are gonna be on my back come there. Maybe maybe post Christmas, yes Lee.

SPEAKER_04 21:17

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_03 21:18

But I mean, like we said, though the the club got the shirts out early, and that's something we've been calling calling for for years. Oh yeah. So you know, hopefully the you know the club are listening now to you know the the the supporters committee and stuff like that, and you know, these little these little things now are starting to finish.

SPEAKER_01 21:38

Well, I think I think they are, and I think we also need to put it into the context of some of the other clubs' shirts, and I'm particularly referencing Leicester Tigers, who it was Castore who brought out an absolute dog of a home show. And a dog of an uh and and a and a third show. And I mean either Leicester Tigers fans were like apart. Plecked it with disgust. And I mean, even when I think Freddie Stewart was like modelling it, and he he didn't even you could just tell by the look of his face, he was appalled that he just turned on his like nose. Yeah. So I mean, you know, let's let's put everything into perspective.

SPEAKER_04 22:17

85 quid, it it it's it's not one I'd go and buy. I agree.

SPEAKER_01 22:20

No, it was it was it was well documented, and there is some talk saying that the players like even refused to wear the home shirt and are gonna wear the away shirt for uh home games or something like that. But anyway, all good stuff, but links nicely. No, yeah, but sorty amongst themselves is even funnier, really. But anyway, um, I mean that kind of linked the reason I segueed into the kit was because um then you know we'd already kit had already come out before the fixtures did, and and obviously we all, you know, it's quite exciting to we know there aren't that many of them, so it's quite exciting to uh to get the fixtures and then you map them out on your family diary, knowing full well that you know after the first block, they're all the times and dates are all gonna change because TNT, but so so you end up having to put in your family diary, it could be Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, so cover all bases. Um, but uh I think the only thing I'd say about um the fixtures was a quite a difficult start. Sail away Northampton at home. And although Northampton is has been not a happy hunting ground, Ashton Gate hasn't been a happy hunting ground for Northampton. It has we have played them like after I think the Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations, and now we're gonna get them like fully so it'll be a good measure actually of us. I mean, it's a good challenge to get them at our first home game. It'll be a great game, there'll be a great interest in it with the likes. But I think the big thing was the big day out, uh, as we hoped and expected, we knew it was gonna happen, you know. We can talk about it, but it's always gonna happen. Is Gloucester, and I think uh that'll kind of hopefully reboot after a difficult year last year. It will reboot the big game because I imagine a lot of Gloucester fans will will come down because it's not too far. They're on a different train line, which makes it a bit easier for us. So, yeah. So, are you tempted to go again, Lee? Now it's Gloucester. You were at you keen, were you?

SPEAKER_03 24:08

I was scarred last year, and I think uh oh well, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 24:11

I think many I think I think many fans are come on. You could reboot your love of the big day out, or you never had love for it.

SPEAKER_01 24:19

Well, you never know. We'll never know. You might change your mind. We will try and persuade you before eight pm.

SPEAKER_04 24:23

Pete and I secured our seats already, along with my wife, and I think we're well up for it. I think it's uh I think it's the opposition that we wished for for the last two years.

SPEAKER_01 24:33

And we've we've managed to get seats on that. We've managed to get seats one row back, so we've got great flag hanging potential as well. That was another reason why I got on it. So I we're right on the barrier on the first level, so we could hang the flag over there as well. So we're quite quite pleased with the with that. Um, so uh the other thing about the big day out is there's no double header either, which is uh they've obviously sacked the women's game, and I suspect that might be because Ash because um the Millennium Stadium have said that they can't organise re-entry and because that was a big bug bear last year. Yeah, it was. So I think I imagine and it's a shame because that would be a good doubleheader, because obviously Hartbury are a very good side, but obviously decided to go against that. Um, if they could get the beer a bit cheaper as well in the stadium before April, that that would kind of make it a little bit more panicable, wouldn't it?

SPEAKER_04 25:24

We'll we'll frequent establishments with with better beer, I think, shall we, Pete?

SPEAKER_01 25:29

A couple of other things. They they advertise the fact that there's been a thousand new season ticket holders. Um, but what they it's great spin is what they haven't said is actually how many old season ticket holders have not renewed, but you know, you've got to prom you've got to promote the mark the the positives, haven't you? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly.

SPEAKER_04 25:47

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:47

Um, so we'd be interested to see after last season tailing off a bit whether if any of the people around us are still there, but you may yeah, and uh and then finally the last bit of news from the sort of general side was that I I thought you might be interested in this, Lee, that they've uh they've created a new nature and well-being area at Ashton Gate, right next to the Guinness stand, and it's uh it's somewhere where people can go and relax and get away from the stresses and strains of life, re regenerate their mental health. I mean, there is a serious thing behind it, and I don't want to belittle you know the I the concept behind it, but I just can't quite get my head around how it works. It's like, would you go and sit there on a match day when there's just loads of people queuing for I don't and Thatcher's that I don't really understand it, and it is open to a little bit of gentle banter and and so on.

SPEAKER_02 26:36

I mean your first-year was was that question aimed at me as as the kind of like the most mental person out of preparation, or not? You never know, you could just know it's there.

SPEAKER_03 26:50

Yeah, I mean, in all in all fairness, I mean I think it's a it's a brilliant idea. Um, you know, all just an aside, um, you know, a lot of people do suffer with mental health, and I think it's it's great that the club have recognised that. And you know, I'd be quite happy to sit in there with uh with a can of Fatcher's gold and and talk through my my substantial problem substantial problems with anyone.

SPEAKER_01 27:17

I think I mean I think the other joke about it is that you know it could be the sort of place where fans go after a game when we've just lost again against Saracens. I think that was the big one. It's like it's all I've already reserved a seat for the Saracens home. Maybe it's somewhere where some of the players will go. But anyway, okay, moving on quickly. Quick quick whip to the the women. All I wanted to say with the women, I'll just say all the things and see if they've you've got any comments, was that uh obviously we signed any kill done, was uh was a big signing um in the summer, but we've also signed quite a few others. Lucy Burgess, who was a former Bears Women, 100 caps, has come back from Quinns, Orla Procter, Scottish fullback from Quinn's, Pip Hendy, versatile back from Gloucester Hartbury, Beth and Lewis, 60 cap Welsh back rower from Gloucester Hartbury, Leah Green, used to be Bears sort of pathway, um, went to Lightning, come back, she's a fly half. Zoe Adams, outside Zoe Evans, outside back from Tigers, Ellen Scantlebury, uh, versatile wing centre from Chiefs. Miles, what's the common thread with all those signings apart from uh Beth and Lewis, the gnarly 60 cap back rower? I'm at a loss. They're all backs, and I think we're all right with forwards, that was my point. We're all right with forwards, it's just we didn't really score enough last year, did we? And uh so I think they've they've identified that we need a little bit more cutting edge um from the women, and and hopefully our forwards will do the job as well. Um the women had sold, apparently had sold a record number of season tickets sold by this part of the season. Um they're gonna be mainly at Shaftesbury Park, although you note noted that they played a couple of their Prem Cup games at North Bristol, and we don't really know why, but someone somewhere will know and then uh seven of the Bears got Red Roses central contracts. Um, Sarah Byrne, Hannah Bottomman, Lark Davis, Abby Ward, even though they're on maternity leave, Ellie Kildun, and then Millie David and De Melza Short kind of had transition contracts, and then Delaney Burns has been picked for uh for the upcoming series, but hasn't been given a central contract. But you know, she's obviously in the conversation, so pretty, pretty positive. I I don't I think they'd had a pre-season QA, and uh you know, I think they're quite bullish. The women they've got to be you know back in the top four, they've got to be challenging for playoffs. So we'll we will watch with interest from the sidelines, won't we? Okay, um, we've got I'm just looking at the time. We've got maybe one more thing to talk about, but it looks to me like Lee, you've disappeared off the screen, and Miles, you've disappeared off the screen as well.

SPEAKER_04 29:51

Oh, well, I can still see you, I can still see you. So worry enough.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

Oh, you can see me. Lee, I don't know what's happened to Lee. He seems to have gone. I'm still here. You're listening, so I can't see. Oh, that's good. Right. Well, we've got um maybe about three or four minutes to go. I mean, I won't say much about the Prem Cup game, apart from we won 4340, it was quite entertaining. Um, some good set piece looked quite good. There were some good hands, a couple of great tries. Ibitoy scored a great one. It was from a kind of our own 22, and Fitz Harding made a big break, and there was lots of offloading off the floor, and Thacker did a round the back, chicken wing round the back, dummy pass, um, and so forth. Other notable things was AJ McGinty missed one of the easiest conversions you'll ever see from right in front of the posts. Um, but the other thing was um Jimmy Halliwell got man of the match, so that bodes well. You know, he's kind of we need obviously every big unit we can this season. So, apart from that, I think it was it was just a kind of useful pre-season. Obviously, Joe Joyce played, so uh, you know, he got I'm sure he got a very good welcome because of course we all know for a fact that Gloucester is absolutely somewhere he was happy to go to. Um, and uh and I'm pleased from as well. And I'm really it's really good to have him back in the premiership.

SPEAKER_03 31:06

It's it it wasn't joy, it wasn't Joycey's first visit to uh Ashton Gate though. Because I did see him at the same time.

SPEAKER_01 31:12

You saw him, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. From for City, because he's obviously a big city fan and an Arsenal fan. Right, lads. So we've rattled through what might be considered to be more admin um topics uh in our new uh new thing. But I think it's now time for us to consider the season ahead. And uh we like to do this. I mean, every fan likes to do this before the season starts. You know, there's always that anticipation, that excitement of a new season, despite everything that's gone before. So I think uh our final little bit of this uh this first episode is thinking about you know what how do we see the season going? Uh what are our expectations? Uh are we going to cope fighting on well three fronts because we've got Prem Cup, we've got uh the Prem, we've got Europe, um, and and sort of maybe some of the issues we might uh face on the way. So Miles, over to you first of all. What's your general thoughts on the season to come?

SPEAKER_04 32:09

Yeah, I'm you know me, boys. I'm ever the optimist and can never praise the club enough for doing, you know, winning lots of trophies. However, I think on this unique occasion, pre-season, you know, we don't like to predict where we're gonna end up in games, do we? Because we're rubbish at it. However, I wrote this down yesterday wending a bit of pod prep, and I thought, hopes for the season just to be in the top four. And I know, you know, we I I I feel like many say, oh, come on, we can do better than that, but we've been there, we've seen so many seasons looking at the signings, and and and based on last year and the year before, I'm really sorry, but that that's all I'm gonna go for.

SPEAKER_01 32:56

Top four. But I think I mean that's fair enough because I mean, once you're in the top four, then it's two knockout games to win, and and you know, you you've exit to prove that you can almost win it last season by coming fourth. And and it's a bit like in golf when when they say when you're putting a long putt, you don't aim for the hole, you aim for the kind of dustbin-lid area around a hole. So if you get there or thereabouts, you you you're in with a shout. And I think uh I think I mean every I think to be honest, even Newcastle Falcons now, given all of their spendings, I think even their fans would say well, we've got to aim for the top four. I mean, most clubs, I think, at the start of the season, when you've got a a s uh a league of ten clubs, you've got to aim for the top four, haven't you? Yeah, regardless. Because what's the point of of running out every week? I mean, by Christmas, you might have changed your mind. But I don't know what do you think, Lee? Is that is a you know, I know you you you there's arguments to say that you know, when you look at other clubs and their squads, it's gonna be difficult, but but that's gotta be a realistic expectation, surely.

SPEAKER_03 33:59

Yeah, I I I um I don't want to put a dampener on things for the case. Sounds like it, you're okay with that. I just I I I genuinely feel that we still go in with the smallest squad in the league. Um genuinely I think all the other teams are pretty much strengthened. Um I mean I I would say we keep everyone fit, we know we all know that the season is fairly game and the key players fit for a whole season is pretty much my own impossible. I genuinely think we're gonna struggle with the next season. Um I mean I think you know, maybe the top set that is that is as optimistic as I can be, really.

SPEAKER_01 34:56

I mean I think I think the narrative, if I'm playing Devil's Advocate, is that what we've done is that we all the next men up, which is the big thing, is like if someone gets injured, it's all about the next men up, are a year better and a year more experienced. And the the narrative all that will be that we're in we're better equipped for those next men up to cover those injury, inevitable injuries that we've got. Um, and that's a m that's a debatable point, but I know that's what they'll say. And then to a certain extent, you can say George Klostiger is now an international player. Bernard Yancy van Rensberg is playing at a high level. So that is going to make them better players. And then Jimmy Halliwell, like we said, is coming through. We are starting to see some fruits of that of the Academy. Um and Pat did a QA, which I think we'll refer to on and off, and uh a live QA, and he said that that was one of his answers to the inevitable question is our squad's too small to compete. And his his argument was, you know, we can't not afford to if we think academy players are in with us if we we we don't wait now, we we want to play them. My question is, are we ever going to achieve those academy players to become the absolute established players? Because when you look at it, we we let Joe Jenkins go to Tigers, we've let James Dunn go to Harlequins, and those are players that were you would argue are good enough to be playing and would add value, and it was just a case of paying them the money. And I mean, I I met a someone on holiday actually who's a Tigers fan, and he said, you know, we're Joe Jenkins looks like a quality player, and I said, he is, and we were disappointed to lose him. The only caveat with him is his injury uh potentially a bit injury prone. But you know, I I I thought it was it's a moot point, but he's bigged up your mate. I was gonna say Walter Wersnip, but Victor Wersnip, Victor Meldry as a as a and he played on Saturday as and they you know they obviously do talk a lot. So I'm with you, Lee. I think it feels like it's gonna be tough, tougher than last season. But we said that at the beginning of last season, and we were kind of in with a shout until it all fell away at the end. Again, it was sort of Saracens that did it, but you're probably right, yeah. But what do you reckon?

SPEAKER_03 37:10

I mean, it I mean the thing is like I don't want to sound completely negative because I like we all know we've got a really great crop of youngsters, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:19

But the caveat to that is I just I just feel like well, it's asking a hell of a lot for these players to step up to the level of you know achievements of the top four finishes, and yeah, you know, it's it's it's I agree, and I mean Pat also Pat also said in this Q ⁇ A that you know our demise at our at the end of the season coincided with Pedro Rubiolo's in uh season ending injury and Bill Matters' essentially season-ending injury, and we just couldn't quite sustain that grunt to to sort of keep us going, and and obviously we were you know that the the Northampton game exposed our weaknesses hugely. So he sort of I don't know what he was really implying. It's like, yeah, I know, but are you telling me that you're gonna guarantee that Petro Rubiolo ain't gonna get injured this season? Because if he does, you're basically telling us the same thing's gonna happen because we don't really have anybody who's gonna do the same job as Pedro Rubiolo if he gets injured. You know, George Taylor has come on loads, but is he gonna do what Pedro Rubiolo does? I mean, he's did so much work in the kind of mall and in the breakdown and slowing teams down, and what that was exactly what was missing at Northampton. We just couldn't slow the slow the ball down, could we? And well, you know, Dunny's gone, you know, and he was probably the guy that could be the next level, you know.

SPEAKER_03 38:42

So and and also Battley. I mean, yeah, Batley is absolutely vital to everything we do. He's he's the line out call guy, he's the he's the guy that calls all the shots. But if he gets injured again, you know, we're gonna say that, aren't we?

SPEAKER_01 39:00

I I think yeah, I mean we've got Paddy, I mean we've the locks, we've got Caulfield, obviously, that would do a job. We've got uh I mean Harry Wells is really just uh we don't know, isn't he? But I mean I Paddy Pierce played on Saturday, and and again he played six, but has he looked good. He looked like he did genuinely look like he's come on as uh and we did talk about Dunny like that, didn't we, a few years ago? And I remember you saying, Leo, I like the look of James Dunn. And Dunny came on, you know, came on great. So it is possible, and I mean it's the only way that you can improve as a team if you're not gonna spend the big bucks and bring Galacticos in, which we clearly we aren't at the moment, or we're gonna spend our money on retaining the likes of Adj and Steve Lua Tua, you know, re-sign for one more year. Uh yeah, that is a calculated risk. Those two guys, you know, are old and were out injured a lot last year, and we've obviously spent quite a lot of money to keep them, but if that comes off, it could be a genius because it could give us that platform, so it's just so difficult to know, innit? You're right, yeah, Lee.

SPEAKER_03 40:03

Well, and also you could say, I mean, we actually we did spend uh a lot of money on really top quality players, yeah. When we had the lights of the we tried it, and and we still didn't win apart from the European cut uh the challenge cut, but that was it. So we've kind of we've gone down that road if it didn't work. We've gone down this road and kind of tell this works and I mean go go miles, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 40:35

Sorry, and I think you're right. I I I think we need to put you know, uh we need to sort of supply the academy guys with good prep, good game time, you know, and we've already had we've got players like Thomas William, George Taylor, Bit to Worse, Julie Halleck, Jimmy Hallewell and Ollie Harris, and Sam fitting in, aren't they? And Sam Worsey, yeah. You know, they are fitting in, aren't they? In crunch prem games when when they're called upon. I think that's Pat's you know premise is that we've got these players in the right positions, but you're absolutely right, lads. The experience isn't quite there, and you could argue the effort is well, you know, 110%. But you know, I think one in his Q ⁇ A's, I think he talks about, you know, did someone say how is there ever a game, is there ever a plan B in a game plan? And he did say, Well, yeah, we have an adaptive game plan, and the decisions are made by the key leaders on the field, and it goes back to what Lee is saying. Once those key leaders are injured, we ain't we ain't good at making decision C, are we? And those youngsters stepping up for the academy, it's a lot to put on their shoulders.

SPEAKER_01 41:42

He it was a good point you made because he he did say there was a question on the QA about the yeah, you're right, about you know what can we do when things go wrong. And he said, you know, there's three ways you know, you can go round a team, you can go through a team, you go over the team, and actually you've got to find a way to do all three in a game. And he did say they've been working a lot on their tactical kicking in pre-season about you know something we've talked about, is that at certain moments you've just got to you've got to put your foot through it and kick the corner and so on. So again, it it sounds like this kind of being addressed, and he was very clear in saying that they have a framework, and we talk about the fame system, but is you know, but they have a framework and it's up to the players on the pitch to make that decision at the time. But the then it moots the question is but what if they make it? They're not good enough at making those decisions. And I and I don't like it, but you think back to when we played Toulouse and we were winning 7-0, and then you know, Harry Randall threw a crazy pass off a penalty where actually we should have just kicked the corner and consolidated, you know, and we and we threw it, and then it all went wrong. So it it's I mean that comes with experience, obviously making those mistakes. But I don't know, Lee, you look you don't look very um enthused by that viewpoint.

SPEAKER_03 42:55

No, I mean in all fairness, Pete, I just feel we've heard it all before. I know it's it's just like the parent who the parent who keeps shouting at his kids all the time, you know. Eventually the kids it it ends up going in in one ear and and at the other, and then they don't listen, you know. And uh I and I'm not I'm not kind of equating that particular I'm not saying the players don't listen because they they they do but it just feels like we're kind of on um in a repeat mode again. And I just I mean at least this season, right? For me, you know, like you go into Frame Cup games and you think that uh you know there's no jeopardy in it, so it's a you know it's a much nicer game to watch. This season for me, I'm not expecting anything. So you know my enjoyment of watching these games might you know might improve. Yeah, you go with low expectations, yeah. Yeah, yeah, maybe.

SPEAKER_01 43:53

I mean I I asked a question and it was read out, and we were he ref Pat referred to us as Bears beyond the Great, which You know, obviously. But I think what he was thinking was it's Bears beyond the gate. And then he said, Great question. He kind of got ahead of himself. And I asked a question about, you know, having played Bordeaux and Toulouse, you know, the top two rugby clubs in the whole world, realistically, almost. Um, you know, what did you learn from learn from that experience of playing them that can help us you know get to that level? Because that's you know, that's where the stadium we got, and this you know, that isn't unrealistic, and that's what we were sold quite a long time ago. Yeah, so he said, you know, his answer was a stock answer, and he said, you know, we we were in the game, the Bordeaux game, particularly. We we were in that game and actually gifted them a bit. So and then Toulouse, we started well and then kind of fell away. But his point was, you know, as we would expect, he said that we have to be more clinical, which is is kind of yep, that's a good point. But well, how do you become more clinical? Um, and he and he said he famously used your phrase, Lee. He said that we were consistently inconsistent.

SPEAKER_03 45:04

Well, what can you say? I mean, we've been saying that for ages, haven't we? But I'll tell you one one thing that you do is you but Pat loves groups of players, right? Let's just pitch that idea, let's have players playing in their correct positions because I think that 100% and Pat is right, we were in those games. We need to be in these games after you know 38th, 80th minute. Well they can uh I feel the players play players in their correct positions, don't try and ask you know a a left winger to play in the centre and you know change because they're versatile. Let's just let's give that a go.

SPEAKER_01 45:54

Yeah, let's just play them in their natural positions and see where that's you know what it's interesting because there was some news reports, weren't there, that Lewis Ree Samet was kind of saying, Yeah, no, I I kind of realised that you know my best places on the wing, not a fullback. I'd be like, Yeah, you know, get that. We were there at Bloody Scarlet, so we could see that. But and I mean, and then I've got to say, based on my half an hour of watching the highlights, Noah Hewitt looked like he was played really well at fullback, and you know, he looks like a proper fullback. He's uh and he's someone to say, okay, you say to Heward, you know, we've got Calla, we've got Lewis Reesam, we've got Ibitoey, got a couple of other wingers, like you're our main man, you're our fullback. Jordan is the kind of fly in the ointment there, because I think we need to he needs to have confidence about where he's gonna play as well, Tom Jordan. Because I feel with Tom Jordan, when he goes to Scotland, he's never quite sure where he's gonna play. And when he plays for Bristol, he's never quite sure where he's gonna play. And and he is a great player, he's a really good player. And I I I feel this is the season where we've got to get a consistently good return from Tom Jordan because he is fantastic, and I think it's not all his fault. I think he's he needs consistency, doesn't he? Yeah, Lee.

SPEAKER_03 47:10

Well, Pat Lamb, right? We all agree he's he is like he's got a brilliant rugby brain, Pat Lamb. Yeah, we all agree that, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the thing that I can get my head around is that Louise would have uh refamics in this season uh fullback, yeah, on the fullback. I'm not gonna find it. We know nothing about rope between the three of us. Um we could always we could all three of us would have said no, he's not a fullback. So why didn't Pat Lan say like chill out a minute, mate? But you you're not gonna be playing. Why did we give him a go? I don't understand.

SPEAKER_01 47:59

Let's be honest, for those of those our listeners who are also football fans, it at least it wasn't quite as bad as when Graham Soonas got duped by allegedly George Weir's cousin. Uh and for those, it's a very niche football thing, you won't know this, Miles. But George Weir, who was a very famous footballer, allegedly Graham Soonas was the manager of Southampton Football Club, my football club, and he got run up and said, Oh, I've got my cousin Ali Dyer, he's really good, blah blah blah. So Soonest put him on the bench, and then in a game, he got subbed on at the Dell, and within 30 seconds, everybody on the pitch and the stadium realized the bloke was not a footballer whatsoever, and he got subbed off again straight away, and he was a total scam. He'd never literally played football, so it's not quite as bad as that, is it? But he was a little bit in the continent relatively speaking. You'd think, you know, it was a mistake, wasn't it? Uh and it didn't really affect, I suppose it didn't really affect our season too much, but it kind of you know, he got you know, maybe he got injured a bit. I don't know, but we'll see. I think it's a really good point. It's like we've always said this, um, it's kind of what we thought Thomas Tuchel was going to do for England, but kind of fell at the last hurdle, is just play the players in the right place, and then when you need to replace someone, replace someone to do the same job better. Exactly. Uh, and I think it's a really good point, and I think it's it's the if we can do that and we get we're lucky with injuries, and if people are injured, the next men up do step up, whatever. But it's a gruelling season, isn't it? And we're you know, we've had a taste for Europe and we put a fancy a bit of a nibble at Europe again, and that could be our downfall.

SPEAKER_04 49:37

Absolutely, the Europe in the spring, it'd be lovely, wouldn't it? We'll go this time.

SPEAKER_01 49:41

So I think what we're saying, I don't know, what are we saying?

SPEAKER_04 49:44

What's our summary on what we must do better than last year, generally? Is that what we're saying?

SPEAKER_01 49:49

I think you've always got a hope, but I but Lee's also made a good point is that if you kind of keep our expectations a little bit lower, then we may be pleasantly surprised. And I think we've just got to try and enjoy it. Sounds a real cliche, but kind of enjoy every game as they come. And if we do, you know, if it doesn't work out, just try and sort of be excited about the next one and then see what happens at the end of the season.

SPEAKER_04 50:11

But um I I agree so some consistency, and I think it'd be an absolute delight to be surprised by some results. And the RE was three Sarries or something like that, you know.

SPEAKER_01 50:22

This is what I was saying. Our home form was pretty good last year. We we said, you know, and actually Pat did point out that he was asked about that Northampton game, and he said it was the worst game of his career. He's watched it four times since in preseason, so he can and he said I'm embarrassed and I take full responsibility, blah blah blah blah blah. But he said the only caveat from it, or the only positive, was that we then went out the next week and beat the reigning champions quite well at home. So, you know, he said that was you know, we try to learn from it, and you know, so we apart, but then it was all spoiled by that bloody Saracens game. It's like they really it makes you feel like we didn't do very well at home because of it, but actually we did do quite well. But the one game we really did need to win, we just fell short, didn't we? So yeah, so maybe that's what we aim for. Let's say let's let's keep some very small goals just beat Sarri's at home, that'd be like and we and we win win big day out.

SPEAKER_04 51:14

That's the only thing I ask.

SPEAKER_01 51:16

And actually, talking about that, our under 18 bloke that keeps that that um said is that our under 18 um beat Sarri's at the garrisons recently, and it was the first time any Bristol team has won at the Stonex. Yes. So they have actually that kind of but the under 18 boys did it, so fair play to them. Um so maybe we could learn from the young'uns.

SPEAKER_04 51:38

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 51:38

Right, lads. I think we've we've covered quite a lot. I feel like we're getting to the the end, it's getting late. Um, it's been great to chat. Uh uh, I think we've covered everything. I'm I'm not sure for listeners quite what our schedule's gonna be. We may not do one next week, but we may do the next one we do, maybe a kind of preview of the uh of the the Prem start, and uh but we'll we'll we'll keep people up to date on our socials, won't we? Uh and take from there. So we will. Okay, so I think on that note, boys, it's been great to talk to you again. It's good to talk a bit of rugby, it's good to see your faces, even you, even you two. So uh what should we say? What we always say is have a great week, stay safe. One, two, three, oh the bear.