Bristol impress after break to beat Leicester

Louis Rees-Zammit scored in his first Prem match back since leaving Gloucester for the NFL in January 2024

The Prem

Bristol Bears (17) 42

Tries: Harding, Ibitoye, Oghre, Carrington, Rees-Zammit Cons: Jordan 4 Pens: MacGinty, Jordan 2

Leicester Tigers (17) 24

Tries: Van Poortvliet, Radwan 2, Bailey Cons: Bailey 2

Bristol Bears opened their Prem campaign with a 42-24 win as new Leicester Tigers head coach Geoff Parling suffered defeat at Ashton Gate.

Jack van Poortvliet went over and Adam Radwan crossed twice to put Leicester 17-10 up after AJ MacGinty's penalty and Fitz Harding's score for the Bears.

But Gabriel Ibitoye's try brought Bristol level at the break before Tom Jordan's penalty and an Gabriel Oghre score sent the hosts 10 points clear.

Orlando Bailey cut the deficit, but a Prem debut score from Josh Carrington took the Bears further clear before Louis Rees-Zammit's last-gasp try sealed an impressive win.

But the win against last season's beaten finalists was tempered by injuries to half-backs MacGinty and Harry Randall, wing Ibitoye and flanker Steven Luatua.

Gabriel Ibitoye scored a first-half try but then became one of four Bristol players to be forced off with injury

Much was expected of Bristol's exciting backs division, bolstered by winger Rees-Zammit making his first top-flight appearance since leaving for the NFL in January 2024.

And the Wales international duly delivered a score in the dying embers with a dazzling burst of speed from inside his own half to add gloss to a hard-earned victory.

But Bristol's forward muscle also proved pivotal, providing two of their first three tries to wrestle back the initiative - and forcing a string of penalties at the breakdown.

After MacGinty booted Bristol ahead, it was Tigers' adventure which earned the first try, creating an overlap for Will Wand to turn on the pace down the right touchline before Ollie Hassell-Collins' slick offload sent van Poortvliet in.

Radwan then extended Leicester's lead, showing strength to break through three challenges and cross in the right corner.

Bristol hit back through the forwards as Harding marked his 100th appearance - and his 50th as captain - by burrowing over from close range, with Jordan, taking over the kicking duties on his Prem debut, adding the extras.

Bailey's long-range penalty attempt bounced back off the right-hand post, but Radwan's second try soon extended Leicester's lead, this time with a brilliant one-handed diving finish.

The hosts hit back again in a seesaw first half when quick recycling allowed Ibitoye, last season's joint-leading try scorer, to run in to the left corner unchallenged.

And with Bailey having also missed two conversions, Jordan kicked the extras to level at half-time.

Jordan sent Bristol ahead for the first time early in the second half with a penalty, before Oghre peeled off the back of an irresistible forward drive to put the hosts 10 points clear.

With the game slipping away, Bailey - one of six Leicester debutants - dived over to cut the deficit to three, yet they had no answer to a slick Bristol move and Carrington's acceleration as the Bears quickly restored their two-score cushion.

The hosts withstood big pressure as Leicester pressed hard before Jordan took his debut tally to 14 points with a second penalty and Rees-Zammit's Hollywood moment.

'Injuries a big downer' - Bristol reaction

Bristol Bears head coach Pat Lam told BBC Radio Bristol:

"The injuries are a big downer, they are big players, but that's why we try and build our squad with quality and the next guy just steps up and we adapt.

"If you look at AJ it's a typical Achilles with the way he reacted, so that could be long term, and Harry Randall looked in pain with a hamstring, and the same with Ibitoye.

"Fair play to Leicester they came out and scored some good tries off the back of us not executing some of the things that we do.

"For the first game, some of the things out there were really positive and there are still things to work on for next week."

'Frustrated with second half' - Tigers reaction

Leicester Tigers head coach Geoff Parling told BBC Radio Leicester:

"There was good effort and endeavour. I saw a group that was working hard for each other against a very, very good Bristol team.

"Then in the second half I thought there was a 10-minute period where the game was on a knife-edge and we didn't convert.

"We were good at times but we couldn't convert towards the end, so I'm incredibly frustrated with that second half, also with the learnings around our discipline - we need to be more accurate with what we do there.

"I found today frustrating. I want to be better for the club and the players so we can give them the best chance to succeed. Although we did some good things today we have to learn and be better going forward."

Bristol: Jordan, Rees-Zammit, Jenkins, Janse van Rensburg, Ibitoye, MacGinty, Randall, Woolmore, Oghre, Kloska, Dun, Batley, Luatua, Harding, Grondona.

Replacements: Thacker, Grahamslaw, Chawatama, Owen, Mata, Marmion, Ravouvou, Carrington.

Leicester: Steward, Radwan, Wand, Woodward, Hassell-Collins, Bailey, van Poortvliet, Smith, Blamire, Heyes, Henderson, Thompson, Liebenberg (c), Ilione, Cracknell.

Replacements: Clare, Haffar, Hurd, Manz, Moro, Whiteley, Searle, Kata.

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe.