Bristol Bears outgun Gloucester in 83-point thriller at Kingsholm

Gloucester 34-49 Bristol, Kingsholm

Gloucester and Bristol Bears produced a thrilling encounter at Kingsholm, with the visitors eventually coming out on top 49–34 in a high-scoring PREM clash.

The match was a showcase of attacking rugby, with both sides crossing the line repeatedly, but it was Bristol’s sharper finishing and flawless kicking that made the ultimate difference.

The game began at a furious pace when Sam Worsley struck early for the Bears, finishing a move in the 4th minute with a try and then stepping up in the 5th to convert his own score.

Gloucester responded through Ross Byrne’s penalty in the 10th minute before Matias Alemanno powered over for a try six minutes later, which Byrne converted to give the home side the lead.

The momentum swung again when Gabriel Oghre found his way to the line in the 24th minute, and Worsley once more kept his perfect record from the tee with the conversion.

Fitz Harding added a third Bristol try just three minutes later, with Worsley converting for a comfortable lead. Gloucester refused to fade, hitting back with two tries in quick succession from Seb Blake in the 34th minute and Josiah Edwards-Giraud in the 36th.

That flurry set up a tense first-half conclusion with the Bears holding only a single point advantage at 21–20.

The second half continued in the same vein, with Bristol striking first through Oghre, who scored his second try of the night in the 52nd minute, again converted by Worsley.

Gloucester’s Will Joseph answered with a try of his own in the 58th minute, converted by Byrne, but Bill Mata restored Bristol’s buffer just four minutes later with another try, followed by yet another Worsley conversion.

Gloucester kept their hopes alive through James Venter’s 68th-minute try, converted by Byrne, but Bristol’s finishing power showed in the final stages. Kalaveti Ravouvou scored twice in the 71st and 76th minutes, with Worsley adding both conversions to seal the result.

By the final whistle, Bristol’s seven tries and Worsley’s perfect kicking return had proved decisive. Gloucester’s five tries and determined fightback were not enough against a Bristol side that kept piling on points with relentless accuracy.

Team line up:

Gloucester: Atkinson; Loader, Joseph, Llewellyn, Thorley; Byrne, Englefield; Knight, Blake, Fasogbon, Thomas, Alemanno, Basham, Venter, Bokenham.

Reserves: Innard, McArthur, Gotovtsev, Jordan, Mann, Taylor, Austin, Edwards-Giraud.

Bristol: Elizalde; Pepper, Moroni, Janse van Rensburg, Ravouvou; Worsley, Marmion; Woolmore, Oghre, Kloska, Rubiolo, Batley, Luatua, Harding, Mata.

Reserves: Thacker, Grahamslaw, Chawatama, Dun, Owen, Grondona, Lennon, Fricker.