Ep 232 - Toothless Sharks blunted by Bears' bite and we look forward to a humdinger at The Gate

In the first review of the new Prem season we discuss Bristol's first bonus point win in Manchester THIS CENTURY. 

There had been a fair amount of trepidation in the run up to the game but in the end it was a professional dismantling of a side that has often outmuscled us.

We talk through the key points of the game and discuss player performances including our regular homage to Sir Fitz of Hardingshire. He's a legend.

Finally we look forward to what will no doubt be humdinger at the Gate on Saturday when the reigning champions, Northampton Saints, roll into town. There will be match-ups galore. It's not been a happy hunting ground for them in recent seasons but they are likely to be locked and fully loaded. Strap in everyone!

We finish off with listener shout outs and that's the episode done.

Up the Bears!

Transcript

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SPEAKER_02 0:19

Okay, you're listening to Bearsville the Gay, a Bristol Bears podcast made by fans, four fans. We're three friends who love the club, the game, and all things bears. This week we review the, well, kind of record-breaking win uh up at sale. Uh last week, me, Tony, and Miles had shared a fair amount of trepidation about uh the result. But uh yeah, the Bears came away with a five-point win, and I think it's safe to say that it was a pleasant surprise. Uh on the back of that, we then look forward to a next big challenge, which is uh Northampton Saints back at the gate for Family Day next week. And uh and if we got a bit of time, we will finish with some listener shout-outs. And uh I do have a goat. So I'm Pete, and I'm joined by Lee and Miles for a cheeky beer in the Bristol Beer Factory tap room and a bit of rugby banter. Well, before we start again, Lee, it's great to have you back, mate. You're back.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

I'm back, and I'm back with a new Italian listener to the pod as well, folks. Yeah, we've got a a real good chap called Andrea, who's from Brescia. He's one of the waiters in uh in one of the uh the restaurants we stayed in.

SPEAKER_03 1:32

How'd you convince him to listen to a rugby pod about a he's a pretty he's a big big rugby fellow?

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Yes, and uh and he's good makes with an Italian international as well, whose name I can't remember at the moment because I've not long come back into the country. But Andrea, I I said I'd give you a shout out. Say molto fantastico, Piergeri Andrea.

SPEAKER_03 1:54

Go losing we're losing for ten days. He's looking less pasty. In fact, he's looking as red as the pier is.

SPEAKER_02 2:01

Well, obviously Lee, we we had to, as a lot of listeners will know, we had to get a we had to get a sub sub-in off the bench last week. And it was a it was a big heavy hitter.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

It was it was big TC. I was surprised uh you got the boy back on.

SPEAKER_03 2:14

Turn up in his West Ham talk as well, mate.

SPEAKER_01 2:16

How many points did that cost?

SPEAKER_03 2:18

Well, I mean as I said, you know. I said we let him wear his West Ham uh zip up. Yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_02 2:23

We let him wear and we let him talk about Camborne rugby club for a bit as well.

SPEAKER_01 2:26

Excuse me, have we got a bucket? Yeah, but it's like I'm just ready to go.

SPEAKER_02 2:30

Joking aside, it was uh we we felt that we needed a third voice and you weren't here, so we we went back to our roots and uh we'll see. I think um I think Tony, we we didn't use all our equipment last week because I was a bit rushed. So we had the old school mobile recorder on the table. I think Tony was a bit disappointed. So I feel like maybe we might have to get him on again with the fourth mic at some point, some point in the season, because we have got a fourth mic, and uh get the band back together just for for one more day. But anyway, boys, we uh we're gonna we're here to talk about uh a victory. Now, Miles, last week you and Tony um predicted uh a sale win. Tony predicted a narrow sale win, you predicted a slightly bigger one. I know. I've got to say, boys, I predicted a Bristol win, which obviously happened, but to be fair to you, Miles, you were closer to the the amount of scoreline in the wrong direction, is that what we're gonna say? I mean, let's be honest, Miles. You weren't the only one out there that thought we were gonna lose. And um, so you know, now that you've had a little bit of time to to think about the game and digest it, I mean, what what are your thoughts about it?

SPEAKER_03 3:34

Yeah, I mean that that's a a convincing win. I mean, I think statistics you'll bring up some stats, won't you? We haven't won up at Sale for a long, long time. Um and I think T C and I sort of looked at the sort of squad and the team that the the players that Sale had brought in and signed over the summer, and there were some excellent signings. Put that on a day, and the injuries that we we were talking about a couple of weeks ago, and I was a bit doom and gloom. But pleasantly, more than that, absolutely delighted that we turned them over on their own in their own turf and stifled you know that sort of sale way. Brilliant win.

SPEAKER_02 4:09

Well, it's actually just to go to your stats, I mean as we'll get this one in earlier, and actually I've got to say thanks to Tony for sending this. It said that with Ford missing that late penalty to give Sharps hope of salvaging a losing bonus point, um uh he missed it, and As Bears therefore celebrated a bonus point win away at sale for the first time since 1999. So we that really we haven't won a bonus point victory in the 21st century.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Yeah, and I can add to that, actually, that's only our second win in Manchester since 2017. Yeah. So that was a that's a pretty big deal.

SPEAKER_02 4:43

That was a big win. It was a massive win, and it was it, and I don't think there's any shame in you and Tony thinking we're gonna lose, but obviously we like to think that people might support uh their club a little bit more. Statistics were on our side, and we were and I've got to say on that note, uh our friend, well, me and Lee know him quite well, big giant oak, Andrew Pearson. We've met in the queue a few times, he'd actually emailed us through the week and he said, I feel like we're gonna with the team we've got out, you know, I know they're a strong side, but I just feel like we're gonna win by seven at least. And and he and of course he he emailed us today to say I told you so. Fair plate of giant oak. Yeah, but I think still waiting for his away shirt, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 5:24

I mean, and none of us none of us expected that team sheet to say the least, did we, at Friday lunchtime. So I think I probably would have changed my prediction a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 5:32

And I I would say though, I mean, looking on the outside, because I'm I didn't get back from Italy till till late yesterday, Saturday. Um I would say, I mean, with the benefit of hindsight miles, because I would have probably totally agreed with you in prediction wise, but integrating eight players into a team of fifteen, it it will take a bit of time to gel, I think, for sale. So, you know, I think maybe it could have been a good time to to play 'em.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

I think that's a really good point. And actually, having looked at a few comments on sale Twitter feed, um, there were some pretty disgruntled sales fans, and and I don't think it was just the fact that their signings didn't I mean Marching was pretty good, Laws was good and outstanding. I think they were I think they were they felt as though nothing much had changed from from last year, and and um, you know, obviously they they had a quite a disappointing year last year as well.

SPEAKER_01 6:27

But then they overachieved three years, I think, as well.

SPEAKER_03 6:31

Disappointing year last year. I mean, you know, his game one, I mean, we probably would have said the same. If we'd have lost, we'd have said, same old Bristol, same old, but we didn't, you know, and that experience has stuck together, as Pat alluded to, for um, you know, more years than sales squad, and and we did we've done one on them.

SPEAKER_02 6:49

But we, I mean, you know, we started quite brightly, but then quite quickly we um conceded a try quite early on. It was I think it was Cow and Dickey, it was uh it was an early pick and six minutes or so, wasn't it? And when when sales score an early pick and go, you think uh this is the whole thing we're worried about is the physicality of the packs. Are we gonna struggle? It's gonna be a long afternoon. But yeah, we s we hit back quite quickly, and then you know, then by at half time we were we were ten points up. So, I mean Lee, what you know, I know you said you you you were you didn't see it uh live, so you you've had a bit of the benefit of the hindsight of knowing the result. But I mean what what do you think was different? Like, you know, we really didn't think we were gonna win, to be honest. So what what did we do that was different?

SPEAKER_01 7:31

Well, I mean, just just catching up on the highlights. I mean, the the thing that really impressed me was and I don't know if this is correct or not, but was the strength that we showed up front. I mean, we've always said, haven't we, for years, we need to face that forward pack of sell and we need to hit a marred. And it it felt like we'd done that. And I know Pat said in post post-match interview saying it's kind of this is what we've done in in pre season training, which is probably why we've got we've got a few players cropped now. But it that was what I was more impressed with, and defensively we did look quite solid, but then I am gonna caveat that with saying we've look defensively quite solid in a lot of games over the last couple of years, and then we can still fall apart like we did against Saints.

SPEAKER_03 8:24

Not for whole games, have we? Yeah, and that I think that's been the downside.

SPEAKER_02 8:26

I mean I think that's a really good point, and and and I I knocked out a quick post article this morning, um, thought it was about time we got that going. And it allowed me-quill out? It allowed well, I did, and it I got me to quill and my thesaurus out, and it allowed me to use the word neuter, which is what I don't very often. And I did make that point. I think one of the big things was that we neuter the physicality of sail, something that we've struggled with in the past, and in fact, and I you know it was almost like we outsailed sail a bit, and we did, and and what rather than our fly half being under loads of pressure, or our it was George Ford that was put under a lot of pressure by our our back row, and he had a terrible game. And I don't think it was just because he played bad, I think that he was put under pressure, and uh you know that was a real obvious thing that I I saw from the game.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

That's a great show, actually, because what what we've always talked about is well we didn't have a plan B against Cell. We knew they were gonna hit us hard up front, but we didn't have a plan B. What perfect plan B can be better than that? Actually hitting them exactly in their strengths, and then going and building a platform from there. It's perfection, really, isn't it? Like we've always thought about the plan B could be running around them, or we kind of kick the ball up a little bit more so create a bit of chaos and get behind them. But actually facing them front on, which is exactly what we did, was perf was just perfect.

SPEAKER_02 9:49

I mean we had a few issues up front, Miles, didn't we? I mean, your your kind of specialist subject area, the front row.

SPEAKER_03 9:57

Yeah, I think uh I think we were chatting about this pre-Pod. First half, yeah, I I think Beveron Rod got the better of George Klosker, didn't he? And but you know, he's an an experienced guy. That is there's nothing wrong with that, really, you know. And there's learnings, he'll come away a stronger person from it. You know, a couple of penalties wheeled round, and I thought, oh, flipping out, here we go. You know, another scrum penalty. But uh turned it around the second half, and I think um, you know, stifled really. There's there's sort of a tuck in the front row.

SPEAKER_02 10:28

Well, the irony was flats, because he was on comms, obviously front row specialists, you know, was saying, Oh, you know, they're struggling now, and they've got Nikki Smith and Thomas Francis to come on as the Doomsday. Mind you, I saw the size of them on the sideline. I was I was worried. I was with him, but then Nicky Smith and Thomas Francis came on and by uh eventually was really up against Jake Walmore and Lovejoy Chawatama, and it was solid. Yeah, it wasn't. They weren't moving. So I mean it's a weird thing, the scrum, innit? I mean, and I don't think that's just dark arts. You know, we don't know what goes on. I mean, Rod is an operator, so Klosker may well have, you know, it may not have been a lack of strength, it was just it would have been dark arts.

SPEAKER_04 11:08

It must have been.

SPEAKER_02 11:09

And actually, I'm quite glad it happened to George because you know he's a he's a humble guy, and I think he'll go away and he'll work on it. And I think if anyone, it's much better for him to get a few and it didn't cost us, did it? It didn't cost us that big run. So, in an ironic way, George, if you're sobbing into your pillow on a Sunday night about blooming Bevan Rod, don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. We know you're gonna come back, and the best way to come back will be to uh to give uh the Northampton front row a torrid title. Absolutely great. Yeah, so so in some ways, what we're saying is that we played played well, they played badly to a certain extent, but that I think was because we came out of the blocks really fast. I mean, the other thing that I said in the post article, and obviously people like to read the Bristol Post, pick up a coffee tomorrow morning, was that I I had to doff my cap to the coaching team. I thought we were very well prepared for the game, and I thought we were up for it. Agreed, and and I think fair play, we had a a good game plan um that worked really well, and I think you we have to be honest that when it does work, the players obviously have to deliver, but I just felt we were very calm and focused and we didn't panic and we backed each other up when we missed a tackle or two, we we got and I think that's a you know that's a really good omen.

SPEAKER_01 12:26

I I totally agree, absolutely agree. And if anyone was wondering who supplied the olive oil for uh Lovejoy's uh phys, it it it wasn't that it wasn't Andrea, was it? I can't say anything, Pete. It it may have come from Lago de Garda itself.

SPEAKER_02 12:45

I mean, for those of you that I mean, I can't believe there's anyone listening to this, but well I know there will be some people you're listening to the pod. He wouldn't have seen the full 90, but if you were watching the full thing, when Lovejoy Chawatama came on, his legs, his thighs were glistening with like factor one sort of oil that as he ran. I mean, Flats was almost like fainting in the size of his thighs anyway, the vast vast, and uh we we kind of did discuss, I mean it was a bit of a tangent, but there must there's obviously a reason for that, and I imagine you know trying to grab hold of him makes it's quite difficult.

SPEAKER_01 13:18

Well, I think also that might have been the reason that Flats didn't pick the correct man in the mouse, but we'll talk about it.

SPEAKER_02 13:23

Yeah, I think Flats is head, or maybe it was because Jimmy Halliwell had kind of um pulled out very, very late. So maybe Lovejoy had already gone into Manchester, was already having a bit of a rub down, suddenly got the call from Pat. You've got to get back, get back to the Corpac stadium. And it's I mean the good thing about the Quarpack. Well, the thing is it's right next to the motorway, so we get back quite quick, can't we? Yeah, yeah, of course. Anyway, we're diverting on that. So yeah, I I mean I think it was it was um it was it was good to see a more kind of balanced, pragmatic um plan. And actually, there was very little box kicking in the game from either side. In fact, Harry probably did more box kicks there. They they had their new scrafts Xavier Rose. Is he a Kiwi? He's a Kiwi, Xavier Rose. He's quite I think he's from Chiefs or maybe so he was one of that, and he was a you know, he was running it, and ironically, probably played into our hands a little bit more by you know by by trying to play proper rugby. And when then when when teams play pro proper rugby against us, we we're you know, we can pick him off. So I don't know. I mean they would uh the other thing that I noticed was I thought there was better tactical kicking, something that we talked about last season about you know, don't feel afraid to stick one in the corner.

SPEAKER_01 14:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:38

And I think AJ and Tom Jordan did that. They did well. And I think it was I I I I don't know what you think, Lee. Do you think that that's a new thing this season based on us saying it all the time last year?

SPEAKER_01 14:51

Well, the thing for me is it I mean, we've improved these areas, but we're only one game in, right? And the thing is, I what I worry about is it it's great to improve these areas, but but I I don't want them to be at the detriment of losing something somewhere else in one of our strengths. So it's kind of improving those areas but still retaining the strengths that we already possess.

SPEAKER_00 15:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:20

So that's the thing that worries me. I got a question for you though, too, because you watched you watched five miles. Um so we're we're ten points up at halftime, yeah, right? And then we're all probably if we were all sat together, we'd all be saying, right, we keep the next the first ten minutes of the second half, we keep it all tight, and then we concede what were you feeling?

SPEAKER_00 15:43

Because I mean I got the benefit of hindsight, but you didn't.

SPEAKER_03 15:46

Miles, you want to take it out? 42 minutes two to four minutes.

SPEAKER_02 15:52

And even the first is that we'd actually made quite a good start. We were in there 22, and we were we had quick uh ruck, I think it was ruck ball, and it and it was it was I think it was Ogre, and this is not disrespectful because he had a great game, popped a pass to AJ, and it just the timing wasn't quite on. So they're all rushing forward, it gets dropped. I think it was um Carpenter, who by the way was by far their best player, and actually looked really dangerous at times, and he then made a massive break, gave it some massive Fijian bloke who'd come on, who then you know handed off about another three people and then recycled a couple times, so Flahy scores in the corner. I mean, thankfully, I think the conversion was missed. But that was a I mean, that was heading in head in hand.

SPEAKER_03 16:39

I was heading out the door for another beer.

SPEAKER_02 16:41

I was sat on the sofa watching it with Jules, my missus. I'm screaming at the telly. She's like, she's she's like, just calm down, there's plenty of time left. I was like, yeah, but every single time. Every restart goes wrong, doesn't it? It goes back to my question I was gonna say to you actually, it was a great question, Lee. But to you, Mars, is at you know, is ten points enough to be ahead at half time for Bristol?

SPEAKER_03 17:05

No, no, no, clearly not, because we were then only three points uh ahead, weren't we, after sort of two minutes into the second half. I mean it you're right, it was a bit harem scarum. And I think I mean you've got to doff your caps to sale, they've put a lot of pressure on. Um and though and and and a couple of handling errors just led to this territory gain. You're right, you cannot give Carpenter and Flaty any space at all. They are absolutely phenomenally fast um backs, aren't they? And you know, give them an inch, and lo and behold, they're booming score in the corner.

SPEAKER_02 17:37

Yeah, I mean I I don't we don't really want to talk about opposition teams, but I do like those two players, I've got to say. I think Carpenter's very unlucky that he's he's he's a bit like Fitz Harding in the back row. He's a really good fullback who's come up at a time when there's loads of other fullbacks uh for England and has never quite got there. So, you know, if that's a crumb of comfort for any Sale fan that's listening to this, which is unlikely, you know, you have got some some decent guards. Good operation. I mean, I think the reality of of Sale looking at it was A, you're right they hadn't integrated their players, and B, they've lost their saffers. All of them. Like the Deprees clan, as you said last week, Miles, have gone. And that I think that's a big there's a massive Deprees hole in that club. Must have got Vermulin, haven't they? He's yeah, but he's he's on the he's Vermulin's. He peeked at the Chiefs, yeah, and you know, and and even Ben Bamba, he cut his hair. I just thought, mate, you don't look as good as he used to.

SPEAKER_03 18:31

I thought they both had a quiet game.

SPEAKER_02 18:33

Yeah, I mean I think they had a quiet game because we made it quiet. And we'll I think in a sec we'll come on to players because I think that will uh il illustrate what we mean. But yeah, I think I just think it uh at 12-10, uh 2010 it was it was worrying. They did get back to three points again with 10 minutes to go. We didn't panic, and uh we scored Thomas William came on, Academy product, he's one of these ones we're saying as you know, it's time, it's the time.

SPEAKER_01 19:00

Well you boys have bigged him up, haven't you? Hugely.

SPEAKER_02 19:05

He scored nice, you know, he threw it in. It was like it was it was um you know, he was under pressure. We had a line out, we we'd we'd got territory, we got a penalty, got to hit the man, hit the man, good little rolling mall. You know it. We think it's easy, really. Oh yeah, he's just holding it at the back, and they always set the hookers to be fair to them, say, Oh, it's all about the boys that get there. But it is quite difficult, you've got to make sure you stay connected. So he was uh it was good to see that actually, because we you know, boys like that getting early, early positive stuff, it's gotta be good for the season. So in the end, it felt comfortable. This is the weird thing, it felt comfortable in the end, but we were only three points ahead with ten to go, and we've been there before. So, yeah, I mean I think it was uh it was a you know, I I say uninspected, but actually now in hindsight it wasn't unexpected. We had a really good side out, didn't we?

SPEAKER_03 19:52

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:53

And uh and on that note, I think we should talk about one time. I mean, Flats gave man of the match to Harry Randall, who is a lovely guy. I you know why I love Harry? Because they always have Gallagher, they always have an employee that gives them Man of the Match to, and there was some lady called Sheila, and it was like Sheila from Bort Ledger, and he was so nice to her because sometimes they're kind of a bit like, oh cheers flat, but Harry like smiled at her, he's just such a nice guy.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

Well, we we all know he's a lovely, a lovely fella, and also I love about him, he's that he's always pretty much the smallest player on the pitch. He is, and he's going up against some proper animals, and he is tough as the Jura said Juracel Bunny, isn't he?

SPEAKER_02 20:33

He's a Juracell bunny with the skills of a Jedi, which was my quote once in a post, and that's Stephen Jones of the Times quoted me on that.

SPEAKER_01 20:42

That's like a psalm from the Bible.

SPEAKER_03 20:43

There is, I think there was I think on comms they were saying he's got some statistics, he's highest in the premiership. Did you catch this? I like jump strength or something like that. Jump the height of the jump in proportion to your height or something.

SPEAKER_02 20:56

What is that animal that can do it ridiculously high? Is it like an ant or something relative to its size? There is something that's like ridiculous. The Randall ants. Yeah. The Randall. I like it one.

SPEAKER_01 21:06

I mean, no, I think ants they carry they can carry something like a hundred times their own strength. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:11

This is why there is something like ridiculous. But that's obvious. It's something less obvious than a grasshopper. But you're right. It's that.

SPEAKER_03 21:18

You remember when he had his little twins? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:21

Yeah, quite weighty, aren't they? You know, he's carrying them so they're taller than him already. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:26

But obviously he's getting some sleep now.

SPEAKER_02 21:28

And just to get just to continue the Randall love, I mean, we all agree that we all remember that time where he got hit in a ruck and he was vomiting on the pitch and then dusted himself off and gone with it. And he will always, even if he slices a box kick or he, like he did at Toulouse last year, randomly throw a penalty miles away. I will still love him for vomiting on the pitch. But actually, he was he had looked like he had his zip back. He did he did some good zippy stuff. Um Two tries. He's brave for a little scrub after like you know you're gonna get hit by someone, you go in there. So yeah, I thought I thought he played well. I don't think he was man of the match, to be honest, but um but I thought he played really well, and it and and I think you know, last season, obviously, 20 minutes in, he was injured, so it's good to see him come through that. And it's I think it's good for England and him that Pat has said you are our number one at the moment, and Marmion is a great player, we know that, and stepped up, we know that he'll be there, yeah. But I do think we need Harry to be believe he's the number one, so yeah. So what else, Lee? Any any other players that comes to mind at all?

SPEAKER_01 22:40

I mean, uh probably better best better uh to go to Miles on this one because watching a game on highlights, you can't get a proper feel.

SPEAKER_02 22:47

Yeah, no, you could maybe question us.

SPEAKER_03 22:50

So Miles can't. And what you can't question is by five, yeah, you're right. Was it was Randall Man of the Match? Fitz played an absolute blinder. Um Fit Fitz on the Bears Twitter. Excuse me, when does he not play a blind? Never, never. But you know, you know, it was quite quite surprising, which you know, jackling and turnovers. I think last season you couldn't say were a Bears thing, and I could not believe how many turnovers we just you know snatched of all for um from sale uh on Saturday afternoon. You know, that's just absolutely brilliant.

SPEAKER_02 23:22

Borfwick has told him that he needs to work on his yeah turnovers, which I thought he'd be doing quite well last season. But there was a couple of turnovers that he did, which you watching live, where he ghosted in and he was like, I mean, it's extraordinary. I just thought the guy has got every skill set, like literally every skill set, and he always goes 80. And and he was up against Tom Curry, yeah, and he put Curry to shame. I mean, no thanks to Curry, but Curry, you would not have said who's the multi-cap winning lion. He was very quiet. You'd hardly know. And I think he was quiet because Fitz was I mean, Fitz is young, you know, he's young, he's he's absolute peak.

SPEAKER_01 24:01

He is. Fitz is as consistent as WD40. He is. That's how consistent it is.

SPEAKER_02 24:07

Because you do WD 40, I use it for all sorts of things. Absolutely. Everything, even things it's not used for, it just makes me feel like it's working.

SPEAKER_01 24:15

I know. If you've got tough feet, spray some five.

SPEAKER_02 24:18

Well Jules says, What's for tea? I'm like, I don't know, WD for you. The kids don't know it. It's like, you know, if I when I'm I've got I'm struggling for a lesson on a Sunday night, next morning, year seven, WD40. Or when you get to our age, you spray it you spray it on your rips. And there is you feel like braid, shouldn't you? You feel like a different man and next year. I mean, clearly that's what Lovejoy had, wasn't it? It was WD 40.

SPEAKER_03 24:41

So, like, yeah, that's so that's that's fitz, is it? A man of many, many uses and every use.

SPEAKER_01 24:46

So we all agreed he probably was man of the match, then yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:48

Brilliant of fits, and I mean we go on about it all the time, and uh, and I think everybody is talking about him. Oh, and he will. I got a feeling that if there's a few injuries in the back row, I mean, underhills out, I noticed. Yeah, he could he could he could sneak into that um the the the kind of autumn internationals and the nation's cup camp.

SPEAKER_01 25:07

And I think we're all agreed now, you know, there was a time when we were we almost didn't want our players to be to be mentioned in international terms because they had so many injuries, and but now it's kind of like well, we want them to be recognised by their country because they we know what they do on the pitch, week in, week out, and they deserve it, don't they?

SPEAKER_02 25:26

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, and I think I mean he deserves it massively. And we've met him and he's held the flag. He's held the flag for Darling's pods and they they're pod listeners, flagged, and you know, is uh it's anyway, we'll see, we'll see. We don't want to like jinx him. So we all know that um Fitzy had a great game. So Fitzy had a great game.

SPEAKER_03 25:47

Um you I mean when's it obvious, isn't it? Yancy. I mean, when does he not have a good game?

SPEAKER_02 25:56

Well they call actually we've got to get this right. I realised this because we it took us a while to get Revovo right, but somebody had actually put on Twitter, like what do they call him or the forum? And actually, what's he known as? And it is quite tricky, but my understanding is the players call him B V.

SPEAKER_01 26:11

B V.

SPEAKER_02 26:12

B V. Okay. So I think we should should we agree that we're gonna be calling B V B V R, B V? Yeah, that's even just B VR, it's just B V, that's what they call him. B V that's sounds good enough for the players, it's good enough for us. So bit talk about B V then.

SPEAKER_03 26:25

I mean another phenomenal game. You got the phenomenal out, absolutely. I mean, you're like talking about internationals. I was watching a sort of the game with Wen, he said, Oh, it's a shame he's playing for England now, isn't it? I will in what way? I said no I'm not talking about the controversy of it. I said it's another sort of tick in the box of a Bristol player being recognised for how good they are, and he is just an absolutely amazing, he's a machine, um, week in, week out. You know, he's tackled. I just couldn't believe it. It doesn't hold back on any any any forward or back at all. And his attack, I mean, he got a bit of a bloody lip, but he just carries on like nothing's wrong with it.

SPEAKER_02 27:10

Quite early on, he had a bloody lip, and he was then but he was talking to Jimmy Williams, he was talking to Lewis Re Samit, and Jules goes to goes to me, he talks a lot, doesn't he? And I thought, I don't know, does he talk a lot? It's like he strikes me as not the sort of bloke that talks a lot. But he was, you're absolutely right. He was on and chatting to everyone. Do you know what that is? I think that's the because he's got that international cap, it's he's it's justified his uh his you know his ability, it's vindicated him.

SPEAKER_01 27:39

Do you think he's he lacked a bit of self-down?

SPEAKER_02 27:42

I just think no, I think that when I I heard an interview with him on Rugby Union Weekly where they asked him about all the grief, you know, all the sort of chattering. And there was a lot, yeah. There was a lot of chatter, and he said, you know, there was equally amount of lots of people were very supportive, a lot of people weren't. But he said, so I turned it off, I didn't listen to social media. He said, but I I just want to be the best player I can be for whoever I'm playing. I was so proud to have that opportunity to go to the higher level to play well and score on his first touch. And in a way, I I understand what he's saying. I just so you know, it it wasn't gonna happen for South Africa. He kind of apparently he reckoned that Razzie Erasmus played silly buggers with him and said he might have picked him, but I don't believe that. I think they were so I think I think that we should be proud as an English nation that we have given that guy who's the most humble, hard-working, straight down the boat, that opportunity to play at that highest level and may have many more.

SPEAKER_03 28:41

So I agree, I agree.

SPEAKER_02 28:43

So and I just felt like I don't know whether I'm just making this up, it just felt like when he ran out of the pitch, there was an aura about him yesterday. Well, he's now you know the deserves to be those, have those plauded.

SPEAKER_03 28:52

There are those key leaders, aren't we? No, in the Bristol Bears, who are crucial in the positions and what you know, we fell foul of injuries last year. And I now feel like you're right, the way he was chatting and commanding the backs in the line, I think he's become one of the leaders in the backs, and he's I think his opinion is you know respected massively now, and he just had that sort of concentration, spitting blood out, not caring the world, chatting to his colleagues, um yeah, and fully respect it. I'm gonna come to you, League.

SPEAKER_02 29:20

I'm gonna give you a name, and even if you may not have seen everything he did, you'll probably be able to tell me what he did. Pedro Rubiolo. Now you talk to me about what you think you would have seen if you see the whole thing all the way through, minute in, minute out.

SPEAKER_01 29:36

Right, so I mean I I can imagine some of the chaos that he would have caused, some of the dark arts, as we as we say. Uh and for me, him and Batley, if they stay fit all season, they're key to everything that we want.

SPEAKER_02 30:00

I'm not even sure if he does that many dark arts, I just think he does simple stuff like smothering and tackling and hefting so well.

SPEAKER_01 30:11

It's one you know, when we had Dunny on the when when we interviewed Dunny, and Dunny said he's an absolute animal, he's a beast. And he he really is. But he's not a filthy filthy without filthy, isn't he? He's not a sapph, he's not dirty, isn't he?

SPEAKER_02 30:25

He's not dirty, he's filthy, but he's not dirty. Yeah, if that's possible.

SPEAKER_01 30:29

It's almost yeah, it's weird. Like I I don't think we've even got a category.

SPEAKER_03 30:34

I just saw that he just is in the middle of everything. Weirdly, he was quite unassuming, but everywhere. He'd had absolutely everywhere, and you just didn't think, how did that happen? Yeah, flipping Ruby Eller again. You know, he's got he's grown his hair a little bit, he's got sort of you know, flashing his locks around, but he just commanded that field.

SPEAKER_02 30:52

I was quite surprised how he did an ACL because he don't really go run more than a yard or two, but it was obviously in training and something happened, and we never say, but I mean that did make a huge difference, and you know, Joe Batley went 80, and I think it's all about combinations, isn't it? And those two were but then I got us a massive credit to Big George Taylor who came on for Rubiolo.

SPEAKER_01 31:13

He's the next he's the next card on the deck, and he came on about yeah, about 61 minutes, didn't he?

SPEAKER_02 31:18

And he he is the next he is the next cab off the rank. And my only one of my caveats, I don't think we caveatted too much, was my only slight worry about the sale thing was that it hinted that we still need a bit more weight in that pack. Yeah, we laboured on a couple of pick and goes, and we did score eventually going out wide, but I just felt you know we when Rubio I just maybe even when he's on, we needed another big just a big unit, and because like you look at Saints and they've got Coles, and then they've got a guy called Ed Prowse who looks like he's total Saints totally understand, but massive, yeah, like he's probably massively important, yeah. David Prowse. Well, to be fair, if we could if we could get him out of his coffin and play for no offense, play him for Bristol, he's exactly who we need. We need the Green Cross Code man.

SPEAKER_01 32:12

Really over the price family aren't listening to this, right?

SPEAKER_02 32:15

But you know what I mean? So it was good, but my this is my slight caveat is that we need some heft, and we need and I think George Taylor, I've know because I know a little bit of inside info in that I know he worked very hard in the offseason on his own bulking up, and and and you know, he's very well respected, and he's still a listed academy player, and he looks the part. So if George can and also is he gonna how much are you gonna learn from Pedro and Joe Batley? And you know, it it pains me to say this because obviously it's like it feels like I'm just portraying our very good friend James Dunn, but he's gone now, Dunny. Dunny's got his own problems. We'll talk about that later, won't we? But um, but you know, we've got to look at what's next, and and I think I'm feeling like Patty Pierce. Like we talked about is another one coming up through the Academy when in the couple of Prem Cups, that Prem Cup game we looked at, Paddy Pierce, Kenzie Jenkins. We've got some filth, but in a nice way, coming up.

SPEAKER_01 33:17

And to be fair, I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna credit our good friend Matt Crute with this because he did say a couple of years ago that these boys will be stepping up, and when they do step up, they will be ready, and they just weren't ready last season. Yeah, but maybe this season they'll get a bit more well, they will get a bit more opportunity. We know that because we we've still got the smallest squad. So this season might be the kind of the season where we're not gonna achieve massive things, but the youngsters will start in trading into this team.

SPEAKER_02 33:53

I mean, this whole season is gonna be about trying to be consistent and trying to s deal with injuries which inevitably are gonna come. Um have come and have come already, but we dealt with it on Saturday. I mean, you know, our starting 15 was good.

SPEAKER_03 34:08

I mean who saw that just getting who saw that coming? The strength of that starting fifteen. Could not believe it.

SPEAKER_02 34:14

I mean, like, you know, well, we some I mean it was really the two surprises of Rubiolo and Ivan Ashvili, because we had discussed that last week that we were wondering why is Rubiolo fit and is is Ivan Ashvilian favour because he's still in prison. We didn't know he was in the country, but he's but you know, and I think there was some hint that it's taken him a while to integrate as well. It goes back to what you said about the sale boys, you know. You it does take a while. You think of Revovo, it took him a year to integrate. Of course. So, in a way, it's like having a few new signings, and you know, it's it's uh I think Pat even said that at some interview that you know when you look at some of the people that missed quite a lot the season, it's like new signings.

SPEAKER_01 34:51

I do feel like especially like the second row with bats, we I think we'd all agree when we interviewed Dunny, we we had a higher appreciation on what I mean. We we know we love bats, but we had a higher appreciate uh appreciation of what he actually does on the field when he calls out the tune in axe. Yeah, and we absolutely we need a partnership you need to remain.

SPEAKER_02 35:18

And one of the changes in the law this year is that they they've stopped when you're mauling, they're stopping defenders swimming up the outside and stuff like that, right? Which is slightly worrying because it means that other teams might score against us, but it also means if you've got intelligent people in that pack, they can work shit out really quickly because they don't have to be distracted by idiots who are breaking the so maybe that will help us. Um moving on. I think we should mention Lewis Ree Samitt, you know, our marketing man. I've noticed that and I don't mean this a bad way, he's appeared on a lot of stuff recently, like pod. He was even on the sports agents podcast, and I I I re there was a there was um what's her name, Gabby Logan was doing it, and he was there in his little Bristol, he was like he he turned up in his little Bristol shorts. He was on his kit. It was like a little kid's go to a game. Anyway, she was like, Oh, what are you are you gonna how many tries are you gonna score and a bristol gonna win? And he was like really like hesitant, and I think I retweeted it or re-instagrammed it because you can add your own thing on saying, Come on, lad, be a bit more convincing. And he was like, Oh, I might score 13 tries. Anyway, fair play to the ladies' already got two. Now, Miles, tell me, what was the why did Lewis Reezamet score two good tries? Because he was played in the position he can play at best. Good. You were listening last season, Miles. Well done. And and also, what did he only have to do? Catch the ball and run and run. Yeah. So build build it up from the basics.

SPEAKER_03 36:49

Absolutely. Hang on, he did a little cheeky line out, didn't he, as well? I mean, not disallowed, sadly, but uh bit of initiative. But great, absolutely. I thought that was really good for thinking.

SPEAKER_02 36:59

Yeah, yeah. No, I think I mean we you know, now and then he was on these podcasts saying how he'd forgotten how to catch and run and all this sort of thing last season. And now we're thinking, well, maybe he's like a new signing. Yeah, but at least he feels like he's like a new signing now. It like again, to be fair to him, maybe we underestimated how long it would take him to integrate back in from an FL.

SPEAKER_01 37:20

I'm gonna be a bit controversial. I just thought his I thought his ego probably got away with him a little bit. That's my last impression of that.

SPEAKER_02 37:30

And we'll never know unless he knocks on your front door and tells you straight. He's more important to have a conversation. There is a there's an argument to to say that you know, in the nicest possible way, we could speculate that that did happen.

SPEAKER_03 37:41

Yeah, he played sensible rugby and it was in the right position. And he and he got the ball, and he was as quick as lightning. And we want him to be quick, we want him to score tries, don't we?

SPEAKER_01 37:49

Yeah, and we should remember all he's a brilliant finisher.

SPEAKER_02 37:52

Yeah, of course he is. And we didn't even have the old, I mean, we haven't even seen the old, he does the little chip, chip and chase. I mean, that was one of his big things when he was young, the chip and chase. And on those little plastic pitches when we got Gloucester, Lucas, the chip and chase could be his his thing. So, yeah, I think I wanted to mention because he did score a brace, and if I was a player, I'd be disappointed if a fan podcast didn't score two trades. Absolutely, and apart from that, I mean I thought Jordan just looked more comfortable than he did last year, he was more settled, he was quite happy where he was. Jimmy and B V in the centre, we just look very connected and cohesive. Just settle them in their correct positions.

SPEAKER_03 38:29

Everyone was playing in their correct positions on Saturday.

SPEAKER_01 38:32

So well, in in Italy they call it a viva, but here we'd say hooray.

SPEAKER_02 38:39

Hooray. Hooray. And long may it continue. On that note, then, boys. Um, we've got a big challenge coming next Saturday at the gate. We've got Northampton Saints. Now, there's two things on this contradictory things. We've done very well against Northampton Saints at Ashton Gate in the last few seasons, hammered them, but both those times have been, or even three, most of those times are after some sort of international break when they haven't been fully loaded, albeit last season they did have Sven Smith and they did have a few people. So we are gonna be coming up against a very, very fully loaded Saints team. I don't know whether they got injuries, but whatever, they are cock a hoop, they've scored 59 points against Newcastle, yeah. Pollock wearing I mean it's all very not gonna talk about his hair. Well, I want to say one thing about it, yeah. It's that you know, if he delivers on the pitch, there is an argument to say he could do what he wants, and he does deliver, but he was wearing I has he got the balls to wear that in his first away game at Ashtongate where there's a lot of fans because he's gonna get pelters.

SPEAKER_01 39:50

Well, that's alright, you saying that, but you got a decent head of air. I'm looking at Mars there.

SPEAKER_02 39:55

Are you saying you wish you you wish you could be a white raster?

SPEAKER_03 40:00

I'm not you could have the wish you had the option to plait your hair into dreadlining. I'm not sure. I'm not really known. Yeah, I don't know. I I think he's gonna get some grief.

SPEAKER_02 40:10

If he turns up with those flats, he's gonna get rightly so.

SPEAKER_03 40:13

But if but if it makes me likes that, I think. That's the trouble. We're gonna go down early and gonna give him some pelters when he gets off that coach if he's got that report.

SPEAKER_02 40:22

He thinks that we shouldn't, because that's the sort of thing that fires him up. Oh, maybe we should ignore him.

SPEAKER_01 40:26

No, we should say how lovely his air is. And I think we should compliment him big time.

SPEAKER_02 40:31

I mean, Follock's one thing I'm worried about, but I'm worried about Freeman. I'm worried about I mean I I'm worried about a lot of things, Coles. But what I'm not worried about is the fact that I think our boys are going to be up for it.

SPEAKER_01 40:42

I think we'll have a plan. I'd agree.

SPEAKER_02 40:45

So can you see any changes, Miles, in the 23?

SPEAKER_03 40:50

Did you see any niggles or injuries? I mean nothing at all. I mean, I don't think anything that can't be rectified is that's all touch wood. We've got massive and some strength and conditioning this week. I yeah, touch wood, I think.

SPEAKER_02 41:02

The only thing we suggested, we thought that look big Stevie Lua Tua might start this week came on, but I quite like the idea of him coming on again. I think Ivan Ashvili, you need to hit him hard, hit him hard early, and he's that's what that George.

SPEAKER_03 41:14

What about the split? Obviously, we had just Pepper and Marmion to cover the backs. Part of me thinks we have no choice. No, no, no, no, I know, but is there any well we there are some super there are some very good academy players who can cross cover, but but it is Saints.

SPEAKER_02 41:30

Toby Wilson is is I mean, I think we'd if we're gonna go to we've got to go to people who are listed as senior players on the website. Well, there isn't anyone there aren't that many left, you know. So you've had I mean Pepper and Marmion were both covering Scrum Alf and Pepper is covering when anywhere so but I mean what would be. No, I mean I wasn't quite anyone. I was looking at the matchups and I was thinking that I think Ibitoyee is up against Freeman and Lewis Reezamit would be up against Hendy, and then I was looking at the matchups actually, it was quite exciting, and then you've got you've got Jimmy Williams up against Fraser Dingwall, and that's a you know, that's a like a Fraser Dingwall's a great player. He's had England, Jimmy Williams would never probably get a sniff at England or and but you know potentially that'd be interesting, and then you've got B V up against Hutchinson, who's who is a I think of well not necessarily underrated, but a very, very good player. Who's playing uh who's playing their ten at the weekend? I didn't see it. Well Finn Smith. Oh, it was Finn Smith. Yeah, Finn Smith. So we've got Adj against Finn Smith. Well Finn Smith ran the game, and he is a great player. Well he can, but they played McPartland, who had an absolute shocker against us last year. Yeah, and if we need to get under his edge, yeah, down here, he had a shocker. And I think I mean it'd be Harry against McPartland, and I think I mean it's just and then we've got back. I mean, you just everything, but I think our front row's got something on them because we've destroyed that front row a few times, although once they destroyed us a few years, but you've got uh in Ogan, what's his name? E Ogan will be up against Closker, and you've got is it Davidson or I don't know whether he was playing, but and then they've got do you know what they have got? Hooker was um who I uh rate a lot, Western Super Mare boy. Um, what's his name? Curtis Langdon. Oh, right, yeah. So I think Ogrey Langdon's a great because those are the two players who probably think they should get an England call up. Yeah, they're the next two. So we've got some and then the then Coles and they've got that lad Prowls and we've got Ruby Olibatley, and then Batrow, they've got Kemeney, Pollock, and Callum Chick started for them. Really? So they've got you know, but it's just a matchup all over the pitch, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 43:34

Yeah, the thing for me that strikes out when you when you're like kind of you know bigging up the the matchups is I again I think we need forward domination and I have to absolutely win it.

SPEAKER_02 43:46

You you know, we've said this as home turf you've got to win, haven't we? We've got a great bat line, but you have to get domination to to release them. Yeah. And I think well, I mean, that's you know, I'm sure stifle Finn Smith, he's so dangerous. I mean he's gonna be tactically kicking, he's gonna be caught up the back foot, and we've got to do the same. We've just got to go head to head. We've got I mean, we've said Northampton Saints is what we want to be like. We've got all the attributes, but they've they've just got that consistency because they've built their players up, but they don't they play the way that we kind of play, but actually better, yeah, to be fair. Yeah, um, so I just think it's a fa it's gonna be one of the great games, and I think we have to prepare ourselves for it to be pretty nerve-wracking and all may you know and prepare ourselves. And obviously, we've got the the legacy of that game. Horrendous point of where we're gonna do it. You know, we've got we're we're smarting, aren't we? We're embarrassed. We're embarrassed. Embarrassed by it. Let's not even but I think we've got to.

SPEAKER_03 44:44

I mean, hopefully, that might play into our hands. Yeah, so no keep that can never happen again.

SPEAKER_02 44:50

Let's go through it quickly. Lee, prediction. We are doing prediction, are we? What's yeah, we did it last week, I won it, so we're carrying on.

SPEAKER_01 44:59

Alright. So I'm gonna go Bristol 32, Saints 25.

SPEAKER_03 45:06

Nice, Miles? I think it's gonna be a high scoring game. Uh Bristol 40 Saints 39.

SPEAKER_01 45:18

Oh I mean, that's a heart attack from me.

SPEAKER_02 45:22

Oh, yeah, absolutely. We have to back our boys at home. If we don't, they'll they'll they'll they won't forgive us. So I'm with you boys as well. We're gonna win. But it's gonna be stress heaven. Oh, it's gonna be stressful. So to me, I think both teams trouble is there's two ways to look at this. If you if we if we it's a forward neuter, we could end up being quite a low scoring because both sort of teams are so I'm gonna go down that route. I'm gonna say that it's gonna be an intriguing game, but we're gonna look at it 15-10. Yeah, okay, I can see that. That probably means Finn Smith won't get a conversion. But do you know what? That with rugby, that that could exactly happen. I've done it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 46:07

Well, it didn't happen this weekend, did it? Look at that.

SPEAKER_02 46:09

Look at the weak we've we've set it in stone and we're looking forward to it. Right, we're gonna finish off uh a couple of things. Um, we did have some player shout out, uh, some listener shout outs. I thought I'd do the shout-outs at the end. So very, very quickly, um, well, I mentioned Giant Oak, who very, very pleased with himself. Um predicted a wing. He does. Predicting a wing. Hang on, let me just find his email, his email because it's on the here we go. Um, oh nope, not that one. Andrew Pearson. Hi guys, good to have you chaps back for another season of limited expectations, but you never know. This is before the sales game. What about our pod? No, no, no. Delighted to see we have a very strong 15 out for sale, so this is after we had our announcement. I have to say, feeling optimistic for a seven-point win, but we'll see. Looking forward to the first home game next week and your continued Bristolian insights. And then he replied to me very, very pleased with himself. Told you. Hashtag delighted. So fair play. Um, also got an email from our friend Rachel Pierce today. Shout out to Rachel. She said, You don't need to read out the first bits, by the way. Some of my emails will be chatty to you. Blah blah blah. She likes it, but she loved it, she didn't expect it. That was her basic summary. But happy first pod back, I say. Clearly didn't listen last week, did she, Rachel? Maybe. Maybe about talking about a game. There you go. She did a she did an acrostic, okay. Although it's not an acrostic, I just oh, it never is a raid.

SPEAKER_01 47:41

Come on. It's a limerick.

SPEAKER_02 47:43

Massive apologies. There once was a captain named Fitz who led a great raid on the sharks with Randall on fire and Van Red Van Rensburg's desire. They blew the sail into bits. So it's good. Good start. It came good at the end. Well done, Rachel. So that was good at the end. So enjoy your first prem session, guys. Oh, we love Rachel.

SPEAKER_01 48:03

And I think Rachel's probably thinking because I'm back. Not that bald headed.

SPEAKER_02 48:09

Yeah, exactly. She only she bought she didn't count last week as the first pod, did she? And then we had a quick one from I did put a clarion call out for anyone who went to the game, like what their thoughts were.

SPEAKER_01 48:19

Oh, and I should say on that point, I I could hear a lot of Bristol. A lot of Bristol again. A lot of Bristol.

SPEAKER_02 48:24

West Pain because most of the sale fans were so depressed.

SPEAKER_01 48:27

I don't know. Like, did do we know how many fans we don't know? We had it really good.

SPEAKER_02 48:33

I'll tell you what, I'll come back to um Nick Sprague because we did have some insight on that from our friend Debbie from K-Town. She made it up. Debbie's from K-Town, and she said atmosphere was dire. Although the five and a half thousand there did try. So she was very dismissive of them.

SPEAKER_01 48:51

I think she was last year.

SPEAKER_02 48:52

And actually, a lot of them, the sale fans were saying, like, of all of our big signings and all this, we still only had five thousand people. First home game in the season. Yeah, yeah, yeah. She said 73rd minute, 10, 10 up, Ford missed the penalty, which we didn't really mention. Um, that meant the try and conversion was not enough, had to leave on the whistle with shutters, shuttle buses only for one hour and two metro trains. Ah, she gave us a bit of a transport update. So that's not good. Didn't sound like it was particularly good, although she did actually say that there was some sale uh a vile sale fan that was swearing, and actually it was dealt with by other sale fans, so she was proper rugby man sorted out that so she said she sounded like she had a good time. Um so back to um R Nick Sprague, who it turns out because he sent us fan mail, because you can send fan mail through um Bus Strout Buzz Strout. Yeah, we've been out a few pelts. Let's not go back to the the dark days of the uh the Joe Choice issue. But anyway, we've got we've got Pelas. He hasn't got a number anymore, has he? And anyway, afternoon guys, resident of Manchester Bristolian in exile, Nick Sprague. Um Spraggy Spraggy, the Spraguester, The Sprague, the Sprague Meister General. Anyway, he says the atmosphere yesterday was pretty typical for a sale game, pretty poor, especially considering there are about 5,000 there. It didn't feel like it at all. Very few fellow Bristolian fans, but they obviously made a noise, in there. So fair play to the ones who travelled. Um when the Rob of the Green were when the Rob of the Green wasn't going their way early doors, the locals seemed very unhappy, and they got really frustrated with Ford, which probably didn't do him any favours. And they got annoyed as well with the way that we outs outsailed them by slowing things down, which was pretty nice to see. Yeah. Um and I something at the end of the front, and try I I did go down to the end of the at the end of the game to the front of the main stand to try and catch the players, but they seemed to be doing media duties down the other end, so I waited a bit longer to head off. I did say hi to um uh what's his name? Their prop. Fajor and Vermulen, and they seemed on good form and seemed coming happy to spend time with fans. Fair play to me. Oh, yeah, yeah, absolutely. We slagged him off a bit earlier, but fair play to him. Um overall, the result was great, if slightly unexpected, and I was glad it was pretty much done and dusted by the time they took that silly drop at the end, which we dropped, didn't we? And then Jordan, I bet say out, threw it to Gwilly, and we dropped it, and we were like, Oh, what are you doing? Like we'd done we've done so well up to that point. It was an odd decision. It was an odd decision, yeah. Very odd decision. We didn't mention that smash it down the pitch.

SPEAKER_03 51:35

Just kick it long, boys. Short dropout.

SPEAKER_01 51:38

Let's forget we won the game last year.

SPEAKER_02 51:40

Yeah, come on. It doesn't matter. And then uh it was entertaining, but the experience out there continues to be rubbish and it's not cheap. About 36 quid to stand.

SPEAKER_01 51:50

You know, this this is this is like a side question, yeah. Cell players when they're playing because they've had a really good home record for a long time, haven't they? But surely that must be demotivating when you turn up and only 5,000. And you said five that was a that was the first game of the season. Yeah. I remember we played them and there was 4,200 last year. And you think that's not good, is it?

SPEAKER_02 52:17

Not really. A couple more just to finish off, because it's only fair because people make the effort. Um oh yeah, going back to my thing, Fitz Harding got 54% of the vote for Man of the Match from Bristol Bears. Harry Randall 34, James Williams eight, Luca Ivanishvili, four percent.

SPEAKER_01 52:32

Yeah, good. That was a good one. Fitz Hardin is the official Bearers Beyond the Gate of Man of the Match. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 52:39

And I quite like the headline because they're so good on social media. It was when it was the full time, it said 2434, Saturday night fiver. Bit like fever. I thought it was quite good. All right. Jury's out. Um what was the last thing I was gonna say? Oh, yeah, I know what I was gonna do. It was uh there were two more I was gonna do very quick. Um on my bookmarks, because I bookmarked them. Here we go, he says, scrubling for time. Richard Spurlock. Very, you know, we we don't we like Richard's very much great, you know, gets in touch and gives us loads of opinions. Really appreciate it. He said, please, Pat, he's looking at the longer picture here, yeah. Rotate so we're not knackered by new year. For example, Ruby Oli contribution work rate was maintained by George Taylor when he came on. Brilliant. He's got a good point there. He has got to somehow keep this. This is we cannot have this drop-off again, like he did. But how you do that? But he's right, I'm sure they're thinking about it. That's what Pat gets paid for. Exactly. JP Holden, who was pushing for Poet Laureate, absolutely, he said Bears game management, sometimes in hibernation, came to life today. And I said solid, and he said, can't all be bangers. So he recognised he was a bit more and then Hammy Ambley. Um, as always, come back with it. The proper poet laureate. We're back with an away winter sale. Here's my first acrostic of the season. Depending on your musical knowledge, Google may be required. Oh, well so go on, right, concentrately.

SPEAKER_03 54:09

It's not that.

SPEAKER_02 54:09

Okay, here we go. It's two words. The first word's a bit longer than the second word. You ready for this? Okay. Outstanding starting. Are you ready for Rubiolo is a menace, injuries are still a concern. Never give up attitude from the boys. Owen getting better and better, concerned about kicking from the T. Our Rands was it is sniping best, free flowing rugby in a kicking game, LRZ bringing the flare, overall a solid performance, winning away to sail is a beautiful thing.

SPEAKER_03 54:38

You lost me.

SPEAKER_02 54:39

No, I can't sing it. Come on, just think about the sail away. Just try it. A sail away. Endly, but what was the song?

SPEAKER_03 54:47

Sail away, sail away, sail away. What was it called? Orino Orino Flo!

SPEAKER_02 54:52

Orinoco Flow. Free flowing rugby. Orinoco flow. Orinoko flow. Of course. Hammy. Hami is back on the podium. That's why he's top of the tree. This is what happens when you have competition, it produces quality. So what happens? I did think where you go. It's hard. I granted it's hard for you to do it. So well done. So anyway, boys, that's it. I was gonna do a goat, but I've changed my mind because we're on 55 minutes.

SPEAKER_01 55:16

It's not that much of a goat, is a positive pod.

SPEAKER_02 55:19

And it's a positive pod. Absolutely. And maybe we'll have a few goats next week next week. Because we like goats after hope.

SPEAKER_03 55:24

There'll be something wrong with Ashton Gate next week. It's inevitable. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 55:28

So although I'm looking forward to the new the Amazon thing where you buy your beers, like it scans your phone, you go in and pick it and then come out again.

SPEAKER_03 55:36

No IPA I hear. But we'll we'll see. We'll see.

SPEAKER_02 55:40

We'll be negative on that note. No. On that note, I think um it's been a great weekend. It's it's it's great. I mean fantastic. So everybody have a lovely week. Stay safe. One, two, three, up.