Bristol Bears 2019/20

vs 

ASHTON GATE | 2019/20 

PRINCIPAL PARTNER 

BACK 

IN THE 

GAME 

MATCH SPONSORS 

SARACENS EXETER CHIEFS LEICESTER TIGERS

CLUB DIRECTORY 

Bristol Bears, Ashton Gate Stadium, Ashton Road, Bristol, BS3 2EJ 

Website: www.bristolbears.com | Phone: 0117 963 0600 

Email: team@bristolbearsrugby.com 

Twitter: @BristolBears | Facebook: Bristol Bears Rugby 

Instagram: @bristolbearsrfc | YouTube: Bristol Bears TV 

STAFF DIRECTORY 

BOARD AND DIRECTORS 

Owner: Stephen Lansdown CBE 

Director: Jon Lansdown 

Chairman: Chris Booy OBE 

Chief Executive Officer: Mark Tainton 

Company Secretary: Gavin Marshall 

BRISTOL BEARS 

Director of Rugby: Pat Lam 

Assistant Coach: Conor McPhillips 

Forwards Coach: John Muldoon 

Skills Coach: Sean Marsden 

Defence Coach: Omar Mouneimne 

Scrum Coach: Alasdair Dickinson 

Team Manager: Nick Fenton-Wells 

Head of Medical Services: Rory Murray 

Head of Athletic Performance: Kevin Geary 

Head of Performance Analysis: Stuart Powell 

ASHTON GATE STADIUM 

Chairman: Martin Griffiths 

Managing Director: Mark Kelly 

Group Head of Communications: 

Lisa Knights 

Stadium General Manager: Ross Wormald 

Head of Safety: David Storr 

Head of Grounds: Dan Sparks 

BRISTOL SPORT 

Chairman: Jon Lansdown 

Group Head of Commercial: 

Caroline Herbert 

Group Head of Communications: 

Lisa Knights 

Group Chief Financial Officer: 

Gavin Marshall 

Head of Marketing: Charlie Lincoln 

CONTENTS 

07 Pat Lam 

13 OUR MATCH SPONSORS 

14 SEASON SO FAR 

HONOURS 

LEAGUE: 

• Gloucestershire County League 1898/99, 1899/1900 

• Sunday Telegraph English Merit Table 1965/66, 1973/74 

• Sunday Telegraph English and English/Welsh Merit Table 1971/72 

• RFU South West Merit Table 1979/80, 1981/82 • Allied Dunbar Premiership Two 1998/99 

• National Division One 2004/05 • Greene King IPA Championship play-off 2015/16 

• Greene King IPA Championship 2017/18 

CUP 

• Gloucestershire County Cup 1905/06 • John Player Cup 1982/83 

• Powergen Shield 2003/04 • British & Irish Cup 2010/11 

NEW NORMAL, NEW MATCHDAY 

We’re sad to be restarting the Gallagher Premiership season without our 

wonderful supporters at Ashton Gate – but just until we are able to return to 

normality, we’ll be doing our best to bring a Bristol Bears matchday to you. 

Starting with this digital matchday 

programme, which will be available to 

download for FREE and cover all four of 

remaining home league games. 

The programme includes feature 

interviews with Director of Rugby Pat Lam, 

Fijian superstar Semi Radradara, loan 

rangers Ben Earl & Max Malins and two of 

our new Integrated Academy stars, Tom 

Wilstead and Deago Bailey – as well as 

a look at the Bears’ new recruits, Bears 

Women’s return to training and the latest 

from the Community Foundation. 

We will also be bringing you a live 

matchday show, with exclusive interviews, 

expert analysis and behind the scenes 

footage. 

Broadcast on our official Twitter and 

Facebook channels shortly before kick-off, 

at half time and at full time, matchday 

presenter Ian Reed-Downs will bring you 

team news, guest analysis and post-match 

reaction from all Bears games played 

behind closed doors – home and away. 

Up the Bears! 

24 NEW ARRIVALS 

30 MEET THE SQUAD 

36 HIGH PERFORMANCE CENTRE 

42 INTERVIEW: 

SEMI RADRADRA 

52 ACADEMY INTERVIEW: 

DEAGO BAILEY & 

TOM WILSTEAD 

64 BRISTOL BEARS WOMEN 

66 INTERVIEW: 

BEN EARL & MAX MALINS 

73 COMMUNITY 

75 INTERVIEW: 

KEVIN GEARY 

78 FIXTURES & RESULTS 

Editor: Will Carpenter 

Design: JMP UK 

Photography: JMP UK

DIRECTOR OF RUGBY 

WE’RE 

READY 

07 

TO GO 

As Bears emerge from a 160-day hibernation, there is everything 

to play for in a frenetic finale to the 2019/20 season, and 

Director Rugby Pat Lam says his squad are ready and raring to go. 

BRISTOL BEARS | 2019/20

26

A 

fter months of uncertainty, excitement is the 

overriding emotion for Bears Director of Rugby, 

Pat Lam, as his side emerge from a 160-day 

lay-off with everything still to play for in a frenetic 

finale to the 2019/20 season. 

The Bears were third in the Gallagher Premiership and on a five-game 

winning streak when the season was abruptly halted by the ongoing 

coronavirus pandemic. More than five months later, rugby is ready to rise 

again, and Lam insists his side are ready and raring to go. 

“We’re pretty excited, that’s an understatement,” he said. “Training is a 

means to an end so it’s all credit to the players for training when they 

didn’t know when they would be back and keeping themselves in good 

nick. 

“The schedule? That’s the challenge and that’s why you need 

world-class staff. That’s the science of the whole thing. 

“The moment there was a date set – August 15th, Saracens was back on, 

everything just ramped up and everything has been geared to getting 

back out there and doing the thing we love doing. 

“All of the teams know that, with such a congested fixture list, starting 

well is massive. So, everyone, all 12 teams, have that aim – to get out 

there and try and get off to a fast start. 4 

“All of the teams 

know that, with 

such a congested 

fixture list, starting 

well is massive. 

So everyone, all 12 

teams, have that aim 

– to get out there 

and try and get off 

to a fast start.” 

Top: Pat Lam and staff pictured at the Bears’ new 

High Performance Centre at Abbots Leigh. From left 

to right: Danny Grewcock (Academy Transition Coach), 

Sean Marsden (Skills Coach), Omar Mouneimne (Defence 

Coach), Conor McPhillips (Assistant Coach), Pat Lam 

(Director of Rugby), John Muldoon (Forwards Coach), 

Alasdair Dickinson (Scrum Coach), Stuart Powell (Head 

of Performance Analysis), Jordan Crane (Academy 

Transition Coach). 

09 

use the new Bristol Bears APP to watch Pat Lam’s press conference 


THANK YOU 

FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT 

MAIN CLUB SPONSOR 

PARTNER SPONSORS 

PARTNER SUPPLIERS 

From top: Dan Thomas scores Bears' dramatic 

last-minute try; Piers O'Conor crosses the line 

for Bears' opening try. Opposite page, from 

top: Nathan Hughes overturns England centre 

Henry Slade; Ed Holmes wins the lineout 

before Bears' drive to the line.

4 “From my point of view, it’s about being united as a team, doing the 

teamwork that will give us the best chance – you can have 15 individuals 

all keen, but it’s got to be one team that’s keen. 

“Of course, we wish our supporters were at Ashton Gate with us, but 

we know we will have Bears supporters all over the world tuning in 

to support the team. It’s been a long wait and we are delighted that 

Premiership Rugby is back.” 

With ten games in nine weeks, including a European Challenge Cup 

quarter final against Dragons on September 18th, Lam says recovery and 

squad depth will be the keys to success throughout a challenging period. 

“We’ve been waiting for rugby to come back and we’re excited by the 

whole thing,” he said. “Yes, you can look at it and say it’s more than 

normal in a short amount of time. But there’s no way everyone is going 

to play every single one of those games, obviously. 

“It’s a tough sport. Recovery, preparation, recovery is going to be 

important and the most important thing is to make sure the group that 

goes out is at its best. The staff will help them as much as we can, and 

we’ll have to rely on the whole squad.” 

“Of course, we wish 

our supporters were 

at Ashton Gate with 

us, but we know 

we will have Bears 

supporters all over 

the world tuning in to 

support the team. It’s 

been a long wait and 

we are delighted that 

Premiership Rugby is 

back.” 

11 


MATCH SPONSORS 

Introducing our match sponsors for the remainder of this season – 

we thank them for their support. 

SARACENS SATURDAY, AUGUST 15TH 

Brighton Williams was established in 1992 with the aim of providing quality, professional financial advice in the South West. A long-established 

and successful firm of financial planners with proven expertise, Brighton Williams are there to help you plan your future and maximise your 

financial potential. 

EXETER CHIEFS TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH 

TP Group has evolved as a company to deliver market-leading technology and professional services strategies that support its customers – 

whatever challenges lie ahead. TP Group has the agility and capability to respond to the next wave of technology with the team structure to 

work collaboratively to become an embedded and trusted partner. 

13 

LEICESTER TIGERS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD 

Viper Innovations specialise in providing electrical monitoring and asset integrity solutions for global industries, such as subsea, rail and 

industrial. Their award-winning products and services provide practical solutions for the real problems faced by their clients on a day to day 

basis whilst helping to take out cost and increase production efficiency. 

BRISTOL BEARS | | 08.03.20 2019/20

SEASON REVIEW 

14 

BEARS ON 

#TogetherWeRise

THE RISE 

15 

After 160 days without action, Bears restart the season in 

the hunt for silverware on domestic and European fronts – 

but just how did Pat Lam’s men get to this position? 

Will Carpenter looks back at the 2019/20 season so far... 

BRISTOL BEARS 2019/20

16 

#TogetherWeRise

R 

ight, 

now, where were we? It’s been 160 days since 

Bristol Bears’ last competitive outing, after an 

unprecedented break in the season saw the league thrust 

into limbo during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

But we’re back in the game and all set for a fascinating conclusion 

to an already absorbing domestic and European season. 

Pat Lam’s Bears return to action sitting pretty in third place in 

the Gallagher Premiership, with their eyes set on a spot in next 

season’s Champions Cup, as well as the prospect of a first play-off 

appearance since 2007. 

Here’s how the 2019/20 season has unfolded so far... 

TOP PERFORMERS 

LEADING PREMIERSHIP 

POINTS SCORER 

122 

CALLUM 

SHEEDY 

LEADING PREMIERSHIP 

TRY SCORER 

A 43-16 bonus-point victory over local 

rivals Bath in front of a record crowd at 

Ashton Gate kicked off the new season 

in style, as the seven-try Bears ran riot 

in BS3. Luke Morahan’s brace and further 

tries from Nathan Hughes, Piers O’Conor, 

John Afoa, Mat Protheroe and Ioan Lloyd 

sealed an emphatic win. 

In round two, the Bears were edged out 

22-17 by Harlequins at a rain-soaked 

Stoop, before Ioan Lloyd’s late try sealed 

victory over Sale in round three. 

Dan Thomas’ last-gasp score try at Sandy 

Park saw Bristol snatch a dramatic victory 

over Exeter Chiefs in round four, fighting 

back from 17-0 down to go top of the 

Gallagher Premiership. 

There was more late drama in round five, 

as Stephen Myler’s 79th-minute penalty 

denied the Bears a fourth league win in a 

27-27 draw against London Irish. 

At Allianz Park, a second-half Saracens 

blitz saw the reigning champions storm 

clear to record a 47-13 victory, despite 

Luke Morahan’s early try putting the 

Bears in front. 

A first home defeat of the season 

followed over the Christmas period, as 

Nizaam Carr’s 80th-minute try sealed a 

dramatic Wasps victory at Ashton Gate. 

Callum Sheedy’s penalty just one minute 

earlier looked to have snatched it for Pat 

Lam’s men in front of more than 23,000 

supporters, but Carr’s devastating break 

down the touchline sealed a bonus-point 

win for the visitors, leaving Bristol with no 

time to respond. 4 

7LUKE 

MORAHAN 

MOST METRES GAINED 

1223 

62 

DEFENDERS 

BEATEN 

17 

Where be that blackbird to? Derby day success, from top: Dan Thomas (hidden) scores a 

dramatic winning try over Exeter Chiefs to secure the club’s first victory in more than ten 

years at Sandy Park; Bristol boy Joe Joyce leads the celebrations as Bears win at Bath for 

the first time since 2006. Preceding pages: Piers O’Connor crosses for one of Bears’ seven 

tries against Bath in the opening Premiership game of the season. 

CHARLES 

PIUTAU 


18 

Clockwise from top: Henry Purdy in action 

against former club Gloucester in a game in 

which he scored on his league debut; Academy 

product Ioan Lloyd crosses during the home win 

over Sale Sharks; Harry Randall leads the attack 

during Bears’ sensational 36-0 win in Brive.

Luke Morahan scores 

against Harlequins in the 

final game before the 

postponement 

4 At Welford Road in round eight, the 

Bears were made to pay for some early 

indiscipline as Leicester Tigers took the 

spoils from an end-to-end Gallagher 

Premiership clash at Welford Road. 

But Lam’s men returned to winning ways 

in another pulsating West Country derby 

in round nine, as Henry Purdy came back 

to haunt Gloucester with a try in a 34-16 

victory at Ashton Gate. 

The fightback theme continued at 

Franklin’s Gardens, as the Bears 

overturned a 14-point half-time deficit to 

beat Northampton Saints, thanks to tries 

from Henry Purdy and Lewis Thiede. 

The Bears completed the double over 

rivals Bath in round 12 with a 13-19 

win - Chris Vui, Alapati Leiua and Harry 

Randall all touching down to record a 

first victory at The Recreation Ground 

since 2006. 

And the Bears stormed to a fifth 

successive Gallagher Premiership win 

for the first time in the club’s history in 

round 13, as a blistering first-half display 

overpowered Harlequins at Ashton Gate. 

Luke Morahan struck inside 47 seconds 

to get Bristol up and running, and the 

Australian added his second on 21 

minutes after Aaron Morris had hit back 

for Quins. Henry Purdy was sent to the 

sin bin, but Callum Sheedy added two 

penalties and Chris Vui scored again to 

give the hosts a commanding lead. 

Away from the Premiership, the Bears 

also secured a home quarter-final in 

the European Challenge Cup with an 

unbeaten pool stage campaign, setting 

up a clash with Dragons on Friday, 

September 18th. 

Five wins and a draw in Pool Four, 

including home and away victories over 

Stade Francais and Brive, saw the Bears 

cruise through as the competition’s 

second seeds. 

What it all means is that on resumption, 

the reinforced Bears – now featuring 

Semi Radradra, Kyle Sinckler, Max 

Malins, Ben Earl, Mitch Eadie and Chris 

Cook – are still fighting on all fronts. 

And with domestic and European 

silverware on offer, it promises to be an 

enthralling finale to the most unique of 

seasons. 

“WITH DOMESTIC AND 

EUROPEAN SILVERWARE 

ON OFFER, IT PROMISES 

TO BE AN ENTRALLING 

FINALE TO THE MOST 

Chay Mullins of Bristol 

Bears U18 is tackled by 

Lewis Robertson 

UNIQUE OF SEASONS.” 

19

TABLES / STATS 

Up to and including August 13th 2020 

GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP 

Team P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts 

Exeter Chiefs 13 9 0 4 390 230 160 48 28 5 4 45 

Sale Sharks 13 8 0 5 334 190 144 42 20 4 4 40 

Bristol Bears 13 8 1 4 289 264 25 32 29 2 2 38 

Northampton Saints 13 7 0 6 303 311 -8 35 38 4 3 35 

Wasps 13 6 0 7 339 328 11 41 39 6 3 33 

Bath Rugby 13 7 0 6 241 293 -52 24 37 1 1 30 

Harlequins 13 5 1 7 285 337 -52 34 37 3 3 28 

London Irish 13 5 1 7 255 350 -95 33 47 5 1 28 

Gloucester Rugby 13 4 0 9 268 282 -14 37 26 5 5 26 

Worcester Warriors 13 4 0 9 202 301 -99 18 38 0 6 22 

Leicester Tigers 13 4 1 8 207 302 -95 20 36 1 1 20 

Saracens * 13 9 0 4 338 263 75 42 31 4 2 -63 * 

* Saracens deducted 105 points for breaches to the Salary Cap regulations 

21 

126 

MOST POINTS 

MARCUS SMITH, 

HARLEQUINS 

7 

MOST TRIES 

EARL (SARACENS/BRISTOL BEARS) 

HASSELL-COLLINS (LONDON IRISH) 

KIBIRIGE (WASPS) 

MORAHAN (BRISTOL BEARS) 

REES-ZAMMIT (GLOUCESTER) 

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP POOL 4 

804 

MOST PASSES 

DAN ROBSON, 

WASPS 

201 

MOST TACKLES 

JONO ROSS, 

SALE SHARKS 

Team P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts 

Bristol Bears (Q) 6 5 1 0 209 58 151 27 6 4 0 26 

Brive 6 3 0 3 111 165 -54 14 22 1 1 14 

Zebre 6 2 1 3 106 151 -45 15 19 2 1 13 

Stade Francais 6 1 0 5 104 156 -52 11 20 1 3 8 


NEW ARRIVALS 

24 

BRYAN BYRNE 

The 26-year-old made one Premiership appearance 

for the Bears before the suspension of the season 

and re-joins the club with immediate effect. 

Byrne made 47 appearances during his time with 

Irish PRO14 side, Leinster, scoring 12 tries. 

Hooker Bryan 

Byrne joined 

Bristol Bears 

on a one-year 

deal after 

impressing 

during a 

short-term 

loan spell at 

the club. 

CHRIS COOK 

Scrum half Chris Cook makes the switch across 

the West Country to join the Bears from local 

rivals Bath. 

29-year-old Cook – 

who came through 

the Bath Rugby 

Academy – made over 

140 appearances for 

the Blue, Black and 

White. 

A product of Millfield 

School, Cook made 

18 appearances for 

Bath during the 

2019/20 season and 

represented England 

Sevens 2019. 

MITCH EADIE 

A homecoming for 

Bristolian Mitch Eadie, 

who returns to the club 

from Northampton Saints 

having made more than 

130 appearances for Bristol 

during his first spell. 

The back rower – who has spent 

the last three seasons with Saints 

– grew up in Bristol and progressed 

through the Academy system. 

The 27-year-old spent seven 

seasons at Bristol before making 

the switch to Franklin’s Gardens but 

returns home on a two-year deal. 

#TogetherWeRise

25 

BEN EARL 

Versatile and powerful back 

row forward Ben Earl joins the 

Bears on a year-long loan. 

Earl made his England debut in the 

Six Nations victory over Scotland at 

Murrayfield, coming off the bench to 

help Eddie Jones’ side to regain the 

Calcutta Cup. 

The 22-year-old is currently the 

Gallagher Premiership’s joint leading 

try scorer with seven in the opening 

12 rounds. 

A dynamic ball carrier and fierce 

defender, Earl can play across the 

back row and is one of English rugby’s 

rising stars. 


NEW ARRIVALS 

26 

TOM KESSELL 

Scrum half 

Tom Kessell 

joined on a 

short-term 

contract until 

the end of 

the 2019/20 

season, 

arriving as 

injury cover 

for Chris Cook, who is ruled out until September 

with a back injury. 

Kessell spent four years at Cornish Pirates before making 

the switch to Northampton Saints where he made 22 

appearances. He joined Coventry for the 2018/19 GKIPA 

Championship campaign. 

Siva Naulago 

Rugby League sensation 

Siva Naulago will switch 

codes and join Bristol 

Bears following the 

conclusion of the 

Betfred Super 

League. 

The Fijian-born flyer has 

scored an impressive 17 tries in 21 

appearances for Hull FC, including 

a double in the 2020 Super League 

campaign opener versus Leeds Rhinos. 

The 28-year-old is a serving soldier in the 

British Army and has been given a temporary 

release from active service to pursue his 

opportunity in professional sport.

Kyle Sinckler 

World-class tighthead Kyle 

Sinckler’s arrival at Ashton 

Gate is a huge statement 

from the Bears. 

The England and British & Irish 

Lions powerhouse, who joins from 

Harlequins, has 31 caps for England, 

representing his country at the 2019 

Rugby World Cup. 

The skilful front rower also featured 

in all three tests on the Lions’ tour to 

New Zealand in 2017. 

29 27 


Purdy in action against 

former club Gloucester 

#TogetherWeRise

NEW ARRIVALS 

MAX MALINS 

Bristol Bears know all about the 

threat posed by the fleet-footed, 

electrifying Max Malins, whose 

masterclass from full back 

contributed heavily to Saracens’ 

victory at Allianz Park in 

December. 

The 23-year-old, who can operate at full back 

or fly half, joins the Bears on a year-long loan 

deal until the end of the 2020/21 Gallagher 

Premiership season. 

The former England U18 and U20 international 

is another of English rugby’s most exciting 

young talents and has already made 29 

appearances for Saracens in the Gallagher 

Premiership, scoring 102 points. 

29 

Semi Radradra 

A huge signing for the Bears, 

Semi Radradra will have already 

caused some sleepless nights for 

defence coaches in the Gallagher 

Premiership. 

A standout individual across both rugby codes, 

the Fijian international arrived at Ashton Gate on 

a three-year deal from Bordeaux-Begles. 

The 27-year-old averaged 100m a game at 

the 2019 Rugby World Cup, lighting up the 

competition pool stages with a string of 

sensational displays, including a brace against 

Georgia. 

During his time in the Australian NRL (National 

Rugby League), Radradra scored 82 tries in 94 

games for Parramatta Eels. 


FIRST TEAM SQUAD 

NUMBERS IN RED INDICATE SQUAD CAP NUMBER 

595 

JOHN 

AFOA 

PROP 

DOB 16.09.83 

H 6ft 0in | W 119kg 

@john_afoa 

@j.afoa 

602 

JAKE 

ARMSTRONG 

PROP 

DOB 17.03.94 


@BIG_Armstrong 

@N/A 

365 

DAVE 

ATTWOOD 

SECOND ROW 

DOB 05.04.87 


@Dmjattwood 

@Dmjattwood 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

30 

610 

SAM 

BEDLOW 

CENTRE 

DOB 08.08.95 


@sambedlow1 

@sambedlow 

627 

BRYAN 

BYRNE 

HOOKER 

DOB 09.09.93 


@Bryan_Byrne12 

@bryanbyrne_ 

585 

WILL 

CAPON 

HOOKER 

DOB 12.10.99 

H 5ft11in | W 103kg 

@WillCapon2 

N/A 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

CHRIS 

COOK 

Scrum half 

DOB 16.04.91 


@Chris09Cook 

@Chris09Cook 

578 

JAMES 

DUN 

BACK ROW 

DOB 07.07.99 


@jamesdun 

@Dunnie7 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

440 

MITCH 

EADIE 

Back row 

DOB 06.07.92 


@mitcheadie6 

@mitcheadie 

BEN 

EARL 

Back row 

DOB 07.01.98 

H 6ft 1in | W102kg 

@BenEarlba 

@benearl7 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

#TogetherWeRise

TIFF 

EDEN 

FLY HALF 

TOBY 

FRICKER 

WING 

JOHN 

HAWKINS 

LOCK 

DOB 16.10.94 


DOB 20.07.95 


DOB 11.11.96 


615 

@Tiff_Eden 

@tiff.eden 

619 

N/A 

@tobygfricker 

534 

@johnhawkins1996 

@johnhawkins741 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

JAKE 

HEENAN 

BACK ROW 

ED 

HOLMES 

SECOND ROW 

NATHAN 

HUGHES 

NUMBER EIGHT 

DOB 17.02.92 


DOB 27.12.95 


DOB 10.06.91 


612 

@HeenanJake 

@jakeheenan 

594 

@ed_holmes 

@ed_holmes 

623 

N/A 

@NateWJHughes 

31 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

JOE 

JOYCE 

LOCK 

TOM 

KESSELL 

SCRUM HALF 

MAX 

Lahiff 

Prop 

DOB 07.02.94 


DOB 21.02.90 


DOB 09.12.89 


495 

@joejoyce2 

@joejoyce5565 

N/A 

N/A 

620 

@LahiffMax 

@lahiffmax 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

ALAPATI 

LEIUA 

CENTRE 

MAX 

MALINS 

Utility back 

LUKE 

MORAHAN 

UTILITY BACK 

DOB 21.09.88 


DOB 07.01.97 


DOB 13.04.90 


574 

@alapatz 

@alapati_carmel 

@max_malins7 

@maxmalins 

566 

@LJmorahan 

@lmorahan 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 


FIRST TEAM SQUAD 

NUMBERS IN RED INDICATE SQUAD CAP NUMBER 

605 

PIERS 

O’CONOR 

CENTRE 

DOB 28.08.95 


@OConor_Piers 

@poconor1 

617 

CHARLES 

PIUTAU 

FULL BACK 

DOB 31.10.91 


@cpiutau 

@cpiutau 

557 

SIALE 

PIUTAU 

CENTRE 

DOB 13.10.85 


@spiutau 

@spiutau 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

32 

586 

CHARLIE 

POWELL 

UTILITY BACK 

DOB 29.10.99 


@charlie_powell4 

@charliepowell13 

626 

HENRY 

PURDY 

UTILITY BACK 

DOB 21.05.94 


@henrypurdy_ 

@purds_ 

SEMI 

Radradra 

UTILITY BACK 

DOB 13.06.92 


@semi_radradra_ 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

607 

HARRY 

RANDALL 

SCRUM HALF 

DOB 05.04.87 


@ HazRandall9 

@harryrandall_9 

519 

@sheedy95 

@sheedy95 

CALLUM 

SHEEDY 

FLY HALF 

DOB 28.10.95 


KYLE 

Sinckler 

Prop 

DOB 30.03.93 

H 6ft 0in | W 120kg 

@KyleSinckler 

@KyleSinckler 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

599 

HARRY 

THACKER 

HOOKER 

DOB 18.02.94 


@Harry_Thacker 

@harrythacker2 

567 

DAN 

THOMAS 

BACK ROW 

DOB 11.10.93 


@danielthomas93 

@danieljohnthomas_ 

600 

YANN 

THOMAS 

PROP 

DOB 16.04.90 

H 6ft 1in | W 120kg 

@N/A 

@N/A 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

#TogetherWeRise

ANDY 

UREN 

SCRUM HALF 

CHRIS 

VUI 

Utility Forward 

JAKE 

WOOLMORE 

PROP 

DOB 20.02.96 


DOB 11.02.93 


DOB 07.12.90 


498 

@AndyUren9 

@andyuren 

576 

@chrisvui_ 

@chris_vui 

603 

@JakeChunkz 

@jakechunkz 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

INTEGRATED ACADEMY SQUAD 

ACADEMY CAR PARTNER 

HARRY 

Ascherl 

CENTRE 

DEAGO 

BAILEY 

Wing 

BEN 

BAMBER 

SECOND ROW 

JACK 

BATES 

WING 

33 

BC 

C 

DOB: 11.08.01 


BC 

C 

DOB: 01.05.02 


DOB 24.01.01 

H 6’8” | W 122kg 

@benbamber2 TBC 

@benbamber_01TBC 

621 

DOB 26.05.01 


@jack_bateszzz 

@jack_bateszzz 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

BLAKE 

BOYLAND 

SCRUM HALF 

ALEX 

Groves 

SECOND ROW 

FITZ 

HARDING 

BACK ROW 

GEORGE 

KLOSKA 

HOOKER 

DOB 24.10.00 


@BoylandBlake 

@blakeb0yland 

DOB 05.01.01 


BC 

@alexgroves_5 

BC 

C 

DOB: 26.04.99 


590 

DOB 16.11.99 


@GeorgeKloska 

@georgekloska 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

IOAN 

LLOYD 

FLY HALF 

FREDDIE 

OWSLEY 

Wing 

ANDREW 

TURNER 

PROP 

TOM 

WILSTEAD 

FLY HALF 

614 

DOB 05.04.01 


@ioanlloyd3 

@ioanlloyd10 

BC 

C 

DOB: 06.01.97 


BC 

C 

DOB: 16.02.02 

W 108kg 

BC 

C 

DOB: 15.09.01 


AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 

AUTOGRAPH 


2019/20 PLAYER SPONSORSHIP 

BECOME 

A PLAYER 

SPONSOR 

34 

If you are interested in player 

sponsorship packages and would like 

further information please e-mail 

commercial@bristol-sport.co.uk 

or call 0117 963 0613. 

FEATURED SPONSOR 

KYLE SINCKLER 

F30 

F30 was founded in 2012 by Rob Pearce, who has been supplying the 

construction industry since 2003. Our customers are our passion and we 

run our business based on very simple, however very important values: 

Customer Service | Next Day Delivery | Non Biased Advice 

Technical Expertise | Comprehensive Stock Range 

At F30 Building Products we stock a broader range of specialist products 

than any other supplier, we also know a lot more about them. We employ 

one of the most knowledgeable and technically able sales teams anywhere 

in the industry. So whether you are a contractor, a merchant, an architect or 

an engineer, we can provide you with the complete solution. 

#TogetherWeRise

2019/20 SPONSORS 

JOHN AFOA 

DAVE ATTWOOD 

SAM BEDLOW 

WILL CAPON 

MITCH EADIE 

BEN EARL 

JOHN HAWKINS 

PIPPA & 

ALISON EMSLEY 

Jake HEENAN ED HOLMES NATHAN HUGHES 

JOE JOYCE 

ALAPATI LEIUA 

IOAN LLOYD 

STEVEN LUATUA 

MAX MALINS 

LUKE MORAHAN 

PIERS O’CONOR 

CHARLES PIUTAU 

SIALE PIUTAU 

CHARLIE POWELL 

35 

HENRY PURDY 

SEMI RADRADRA 

HARRY RANDALL 

CALLUM SHEEDY 

KYLE SINCKLER 

HARRY THACKER 

DAN THOMAS 

YANN THOMAS 

ANDY UREN 

CHRIS VUI 

JAKE WOOLMORE 

GO TO THE FIRST TEAM SQUAD 

SECTION OF THE BEARS' OFFICIAL WEBSITE 

BRISTOLBEARS.CO.UK TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT 

OUR PLAYER SPONSORS 


TRAINING GROUND 

READY TO 

36 

#TogetherWeRise

PERFORM 

37 

Bears players and staff moved into their new 

world-class High Performance Centre at Abbots 

Leigh ahead of the season restart, determined 

to embrace the challenge of meeting raised 

expectations on and off the pitch. 


38 

#TogetherWeRise

B 

ristol Bears formally 

opened its new world class 

training facility on Friday, 

July 7th ahead of the 2019/20 

season restart. 

Officially titled the Bears High Performance 

Centre, the Abbots Leigh site includes two 

full size pitches and a half-sized cover indoor 

barn, ensuring players can train to perform 

in all conditions. 

The High Performance Centre – which 

accommodates first team and Academy – 

also houses a state-of-the-art gymnasium, 

administration offices, a team meeting room 

and canteen. 

To celebrate the outstanding service in 

making the Bears’ new home possible, the 

upper floodlit pitch, which overlooks the 

facility, will be named the ‘Lansdown Pitch’ in 

recognition of owner and organisation leader 

Stephen Lansdown. 

“we understand the expectations that 

come with THE NEW CENTRE... Embracing 

that challenge and continually 

raising the bar is a key part of our 

team growth and culture.” 

39 

The lower pitch will be named the ‘Booy 

Pitch’ in recognition of chairman Chris Booy. 

Director of Rugby Pat Lam said: “Everything 

we do has been about high performance and 

the standards, disciplines and commitment 

we have set to ensure the Bears achieve our 

vision to inspire our community through 

rugby success. 

“The Bears High Performance Centre 

facilitates world-class preparation in an elite 

environment. The players and staff are so 

grateful of what we have and we understand 

the expectations that come with it, on the 

field and in our community. Embracing that 

challenge and continually raising the bar is a 

key part of our team growth and culture. 

Clockwise from top: Bears players train in 

the new covered indoor barn; Semi Radradra 

uses the new gymnasium; branding up at the 

new centre; a view of the new training pitch. 

“It was crucial to us that we recognised the 

people who have driven this process from 

the start. The vision of Steve [Lansdown] 

and Chris [Booy] is embodied in the High 

Performance Centre and the foundations 

are set for the Bears to be challenging for 

silverware in the future.” 

Chief Executive, Mark Tainton says everyone 

involved at Bristol Bears has been ‘blown 

away’ by the new training facility, adding it 

provides ‘a massive boost’ for the Bears. 

“When you drive down the long driveway, 

through the trees and get the first sight of 

the building, it takes you aback. I’ve been 

blown away – and I’ve been working on it 

every week for the last year. For the players 

to see it finished, or nearly finished, it’s 

amazing – they’re delighted, and they were 

blown away too. 

“It’s a massive boost to everyone involved in 

the club that we’ve come to this new facility. 

The main construction company, Beard have 

done a tremendous job. 

“I’d also like to thank Steve May from Capita, 

who’s been on the job with me for the last 

year, for his involvement – he’s been superb. 

“Due to the pandemic, we’ve got restrictions 

on what the players can and can’t do at 

the moment, but hopefully in the coming 

months we can utilise the building to its full 

potential. 

“If you look at the branding, Jon Lansdown 

has done a fantastic job designing it. As 

Steve Lansdown mentioned when he came 

here a number of months ago: you’ve got a 

great facility here, there’s no excuses for the 

players now. 

“With these facilities, certain pressures come, 

but I think they’ll embrace that. The players 

have been very enthused and are looking 

forward to the restart.” 


SEMI 

RADRADRA

44 

#TogetherWeRise

INTERVIEW 

Words: Will Carpenter | Main pics: Andy Hooper 

RISE 

UP 

Semi Radradra is primed for is ‘biggest challenge’ yet as 

the Fijian sensation prepares to start what he views as 

the biggest move of his career to date at Bristol Bears 

45 


46 

#TogetherWeRise

S 

emi Radradra’s 

assessment that 

‘he still has room 

for improvement’ 

will strike fear into 

the hearts of even 

the most hardened of Gallagher 

Premiership defenders. 

But the Fijian sensation insists his move 

to Ashton Gate to link up with Pat Lam’s 

Bears is the biggest of his career so 

far, as he prepares to make his mark in 

English rugby’s top-flight when the season 

resumes on August 15th. 

‘A MASSIVE CHALLENGE’ 

“It’s going to be a massive challenge 

for me - not just the first couple of 

months, but the whole first year will be a 

challenge,” said Radradra. 

47 

“I’ve been watching some Premiership 

matches and it seems like it’s going to be 

a big test for me to dominate. I’ll have to 

bring my A game and see what happens. 

“People say that I’m the best, but I don’t 

rate myself as the best. I’m still learning 

and I’m still trying to prove myself. I have 

a lot of features of my game to improve, 

and that’s why I’m looking forward to 

restarting the season with Bristol. 

“The training facility we have here is 

the best I have ever worked in – it is an 

amazing place to be every day. Everyone 

has been very welcoming and I’m really 

enjoying the city so far.” 

The Lam reunion 

“I’m excited to be here working with Pat 

(Lam) and the squad we have here is 

excellent. We are working very hard and 

we don’t just want to be successful this 

season, but also in the long term. 4 


For more details call 0117 963 061 

or contact caroline.herbert@bristol-sport.co.uk 

ELITE MEMBERS 

30

“People say that I’m the best, but I don’t rate myself as the 

best. I’m still learning and I’m still trying to prove myself.” 

4I am here to win silverware and I can’t 

wait to get started. 

49 

“I was fortunate enough to play for the 

Barbarians and I really admired the way 

Pat put the game and the team together. I 

thought he’d be a suitable fit for me.” 

‘Everyone’s pumped’ 

Radradra says his transition into his new 

surroundings has been smooth and that 

everything is in place for the Bears to be 

successful. 

“The boys, the coaching staff, the facilities… 

everything is here,” he said.“We’re blessed 

to have this. It’s up to the boys if they want 

it. Everyone is on the same page: they want 

to win. I want to be part of that journey. 

“This team is ready, man. Everyone here is 

keen to win the champ. Everyone has that 

mindset. I’m pumped. Everyone’s 

pumped.” 

Right: Radradra in action for Pat Lam’s 

Barbarians in May 2018 


ACADEMY 

52 

#TogetherWeRise


NEXT 

LEVEL 

Academy duo Deago Bailey and Tom Wilstead were key players in 

the Bears’ run to U18s Finals Day last season – but they now find 

themselves rubbing shoulders with the game’s biggest stars. 

53 


34 

#TogetherWeRise

Tom Wilstead in action against Bath U18s 

Preceding page: Deago Bailey 

55 

Deago Bailey and Tom 

Wilstead were key cogs 

in the Academy U18 

sides’ journey to Finals Day 

earlier this year – but fast 

forward six months, and the 

pair find themselves in the 

thick of preparations for the 

resumption of the Gallagher 

Premiership and rubbing 

shoulders with some of the 

game’s biggest stars. 

“It’s been pretty surreal,” says Bailey, 

a powerful and dynamic winger, whose 

performances during the U18’s campaign 

saw him named in the England training 

squad alongside Wilstead, before the 

Covid-19 pandemic put paid to the 

international age group season. 

“To be training with players like Charles 

Piutau, Semi Radradra and Kyle Sinckler 

is unbelievable, but also to see guys like 

Callum Sheedy, Joe Joyce and Andy Uren 

– all of whom were in our position earlier 

in their career – is really inspiring. 

“We’re learning all of the time from 

the players around us. They have all 

been really welcoming and helpful and 

I’m just trying to soak in as much as 

possible. 

“It’s still a shock every day to be training 

alongside these guys. They have been 

our idols and we’ve watched them for 

years, and now we’re learning from them 

and training with them every day.” 

For Wilstead, it’s much of the same, and 

the former Colstons School pupil says 

it’s been a step up, both in terms of 

physicality and detail. 

“Obviously, it’s a step up from a school 

or U18s environment. I think the main 

thing for us two is to learn as much as 

we can, as quickly as we can. 4 

“It’s still a shock 

every day to be 

training alongside 

these guys. They 

have been our idols 

and we’ve watched 

them for years, and 

now we’re learning 

from them and 

training with them 




every day.” 


34


“People like Charles and Semi, some of 

the best in the world in their positions, 

they’ve got a lot to give to us young 

guys and we’re just trying to pick their 

brains as much as possible.” 

BEARS 

“The most challenging thing so far is the 

amount of detail we’re going into. 

“At U18s or schoolboy rugby, you can 

get away with being off on little details, 

but here you’ve got to be on point and 

that’s something that we’ve got to pick 

up as we go along – and if we make a 

mistake, making sure we adjust it for the 

next time.” 

“It’s just getting your body used to it,” 

adds Bailey. “At U18 level you don’t train 

this often and now we’re training every 

day. It’s getting your body used to that 

amount of running and the physical side. 

“My aim is just improvement – I want to 

improve the small things that make a 

big difference. It would be good to get 

some game time, but as a young guy, 

you never know.” 

PIPPED 

AT THE 

57 

Wilstead is also fully focused on 

progress and keen to play his part as 

the Bears hunt silverware in the closing 

stages of the 2019/20 season. 

“The ambition for the club is to make 

two finals, so anything we can do to help 

those guys best prepare, we’ll do. But as 

much as we want to learn from them, we 

also want to push them.” 

Right: WIlstead (top) and Bailey in 

training with the senior squad at the 

Bears new High Performance Centre 





40

XXX 

B 

ristol Bears wholeheartedly support 

Premiership Rugby’s Rugby Against 

Racism campaign and we will be proud to 

show that commitment at Ashton Gate. 

For the start of each game in the first round, Premiership 

Rugby is proud to support the clubs and players as they show 

respect for black lives and racial equality. Time will be given 

before games to honour equality, under the banner of Rugby 

Against Racism. 

Ahead of the round 14 clash versus Saracens and for every 

remaining league fixture this season, the club will form a heart 

shaped formation before kick-off. 

“ONE OF THE BIGGEST 

“That’s why we want to show our CHALLENGES love for our community IS and THE 

for our culture on Saturday. The 23 players that form the heart 

will represent the strength of feeling MANAGEMENT of every Bears player and OF 

staff member.” 

EACH INDIVIDUAL. 

IF YOU INCUDE THE 

“We are honoured to represent our team and our city that is 

ACADEMY, WE’VE GOT 

unique, diverse and multicultural. The Bristol Bears culture 

promotes equality for everybody, irrespective 

50 

of 

PLAYERS 

your race, 

TO WORK 

creed, socio-economic background or religion.” THROUGH ACROSS 

10 WEEKS.” 

Director of Rugby Pat Lam said: “Our true Bears culture is 

about Love which for us means sacrificing oneself for the 

benefit of others. Love conquers all issues and it’s a key part of 

everything that we do on and off the field and that’s why it is 

on the walls of our High-Performance Centre. 

PAT LAM 

“We are honoured to represent our team and our city that is 

unique, diverse and multicultural. The Bristol Bears culture 

promotes equality for everybody, irrespective of your race, 

creed, socio-economic background or religion.” 

Prop John Afoa added: “When the playing group and staff 

met to discuss this issue, the reaction was unanimous. We are 

united in our support for equality for all and to end racism, 

wherever we might find it. 

“Black Lives Matter - the campaign to end oppression of 

minorities across the world - has resonated with the group, so 

it’s important that we recognise the part that we can play in 

creating a better future for everybody and demanding societal 

change. 

75 


ASHTON GATE 

63 

WATCH BEARS ON 

THE BIG SCREEN 

R 

ugby supporters can 

enjoy Bristol Bears’ away 

games in the Gallagher 

Premiership on the largest indoor 

pub screen in the country this 

month. 

Pat Lam’s men take on Gloucester on Friday, 

August 21st (7.45pm KO), followed by Sale 

Sharks on Saturday, August 29th (3pm KO) 

- and you can catch all of the action at the 

Ashton Gate Sports Bar & Pizzeria. 

Fans can also take advantage of the 

partnership with Pizza Workshop, all while 

watching the Bears on the largest indoor 

pub screen in the country. 

This will be on reservations only, so 

to reserve your table please email 

reservations@ashtongate.co.uk or call 0117 

963 0649. 

The Sports Bar & Pizzeria launched in 

partnership with Bristol’s Pizza Workshop in 

July, and is open every Thursday, Friday and 

Saturday from 6pm. 

“WATCH THE BEARS 

AWAY GAMES ON 

THE BIGGEST INDOOR 

PUB SCREEN IN THE 

COUNTRY.” 


New club captain 

Daisy Mayes 

64 

OUT OF 

HIBERNATION 

After a summer which saw some of the squad on the frontline of the 

pandemic, Bears Women are preparing for a return to Premier 15s action. 

#TogetherWeRise

BRISTOL BEARS WOMEN 

Kim Oliver’s side have 

returned to Shaftesbury 

Park in recent weeks as 

stage one training commences 

ahead of the 2020/21 Premier 15s 

season. 

We have to cast our minds back to January 

2020 for the last time the Bears were in 

action at Shaftesbury Park and it’s been 

a long wait for all involved with plenty of 

change. 

The most significant changes have come 

in the playing department as Kim Oliver 

has been hard at work to recruit five Wales 

internationals to add to the cohort of 

players from across the Severn Bridge. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has had its 

restrictions, and rightly so, but Oliver – who 

recently celebrated three years at the helm 

for Bears Women – insists that her side have 

come back stronger than ever ahead of the 

new season. 

“It was an abrupt end to the season with a 

lot of rugby still to play, but the reaction of 

the girls was excellent and we’re all excited 

to be back together doing what we love. 

“We’ve also got a number of girls who 

have been fighting on the frontline of the 

pandemic – we have a number of doctors 

in the squad, as well as key workers – and 

they’ve been truly inspirational in the work 

they have done throughout this period.” 

Newly appointed Club Captain Daisie Mayes 

NEW ARRIVALS 

Alisha Butchers 

“WE’VE GOT A NUMBER OF GIRLS WHO HAVE 

BEEN FIGHTING ON THE FRONTLINE OF THE 

PANDEMIC WTH A NUMBER OF DOCTORS AS WELL 

AS KEY WORKERS IN THE SQUAD.” 

Natalia John 

65 

Olympic and Commonwealth star Jasmine 

Joyce is a blockbuster signing for the 

Bears alongside fellow internationals Alisha 

Butchers, Kayleigh Powell, Natalia John and 

Courtney Keight. 

“We’re delighted to have acquired five 

international players who will all add their 

own unique qualities to our playing group 

this season,” said Oliver. 

“We want to be a club that attracts 

international players with the goal of 

competing at the top-end of the Premier 15s 

and with the quality we have added I feel we 

can take our game to the next level. 

“There is an increased level of competition 

amongst the group and that is only going to 

drive the standards internally and hopefully 

lift the performance levels everyone 

involved.” 

spoke of her excitement to be back out on 

the pitch with a rugby ball in hand. 

“Everyone has been buzzing to get back to 

training and see each other again albeit in 

small groups,” said Mayes. 

“We’ve all been counting down the days until 

we can get back on the pitch and this is the 

first step in doing that. 

“We haven’t seen each other in person for 

over six months and anyone involved or 

close to the group will know that it’s far 

too long, especially when you’re such a 

tight-knit group. 

“We want to progress this season and take 

our performances up a notch and it starts 

now in pre-season. Everyone is focused on 

the same goal and we’re determined to fulfil 

our potential as a playing group.” 

Jasmine Joyce 

Courtney Keight 

Kayleigh Powell 


INTERVIEW 

66 

#TogetherWeRise

The double loan signing of Saracens pairing Ben Earl and 

Max Malins has been described as a “unique and exciting 

opportunity” for the club by head coach Pat Lam... 

DYNAMIC 

DUO 

67 


46

Right: Max Malins in action for England 

U20s; international debutant Ben Earl 

celebrates Ellis Genge’s winning try 

against Scotland in February. 

When it was announced 

in March, Pat Lam 

described the double 

loan signing of Ben Earl and 

Max Malins as a ‘unique and 

exciting opportunity’ for the 

club. 

And with the pair’s 12-month stint at 

Ashton Gate now incorporating the 

remainder of the current season as well as 

the full 2020/21 campaign, two of English 

rugby’s most exciting young talents are 

out to make every second count in a 

Bears shirt. 

Following a whirlwind period, during 

which the ongoing coronavirus pandemic 

wreaked havoc with the domestic sporting 

schedule, the ‘loan rangers’ linked up with 

their new teammates at the beginning 

of July - and the transition has been a 

smooth one for two of English rugby’s 

brightest young talents. 

69 

“I’ve really enjoyed it and the lads have 

been very welcoming,” said flanker Earl. 

“The new training facility is obviously 

unbelievable, the coaching is different and 

that’s been refreshing, so I’m just really 

happy to get into it. We have definitely 

settled. We are loving the group.” 

“Everyone speaks about how good a coach 

Pat (Lam) and Conor (McPhillips) are, and 

obviously bringing Omar (Mouneimne) into 

the mix as well, it’s just a different way of 

seeing the game and it’s been refreshing. 

“Obviously, I’ve been at Sarries since I 

was a young teenager, so it’s a different 

perspective on things and it’s something 

I’ve really enjoyed. 

“(Bristol is) a great city, a lot cheaper than 

London – I’ve loved it. We’ve been trying 

to get out as much as we can, the weather 

has been okay, so we’ve loved it.” 4 


“The new training 

facility is obviously 

unbelievable, the 

coaching is different and 

that’s been refreshing, 

so I’m just really happy 

to get into it. We have 

definitely settled. We 

are loving the group.” 

71 

4 Malins adds: “Our contract was 

initially supposed to start on August 1st, 

but both clubs saw that there was no point 

training with Saracens to then move to 

Bristol with only a few weeks to prepare 

before the games started again. It made 

sense for both parties to let us go early 

and get a good few training weeks with 

Bristol leading up to the first game.” 

Both players were on the scoresheet for 

their parent club in December, as Saracens 

came from behind to topple the Bears at 

Allianz Park, but as they prepare to find 

themselves on the other side of the fence, 

the Premiership and European run-in is a 

prospect they are relishing. 

“Pat goes on about making that lower bar 

higher, raising that lower standard. It’s 

a massive team thing for Bristol, getting 

everyone up to a standard where they can 

now compete for trophies,” said Malins. 

Earl adds: “It’s a different environment 

and one that we’ve both found quite 

refreshing. Watching the way that Steve 

Luatua trains; compared to Maro (Itoje) 

it is massively different. It’s another 

perspective on the way to play the game.” 

“There are many different ways to play 

the game and different ways to prepare, 

all these things are just another string to 

our bow.” 

Earl resumes the Gallagher Premiership 

season as the league’s joint-leading try 

scorer with seven and keen to enhance his 

England prospects, having already earned 

three caps under Eddie Jones. 

But the dynamic and forward says he is 

fully focused on breaking his way into a 

competitive Bears back row. 

“(My aim is) to keep pushing international 

wise, but first and foremost I’ve got to get 

into this (Bears) team and cement that 

place and keep showing Eddie (Jones) and 

the other England staff that I’m ready to 

play international rugby.” 

For Malins, the versatile youngster is 

hoping his injury-troubled spell is well 

behind him and is excited by the prospect 

of learning from some of the Bears’ 

star-studded backs. 

“What’s good for me is, coming from a 

Saracens environment I’ve been working 

with Owen Farrell and Alex Goode, and 

then you come to Bristol and you’ve got 

Charles Piutau. 

“They are very different players, so to 

take both of their knowledge and their 

different views on things and different 

ways to play the game – and then the 

prospect of playing inside or outside 

Semi Radradra – it’s going to be good. I’ll 

be trying to get on his shoulder as often 

as possible. Just seeing Semi during the 

training weeks, you can tell exactly what 

he is about.” 

It’s a mouth-watering prospect for the 

Bears in what promises to be a fascinating 

climax to the 2019/20 season. 


40

COMMUNITY 

BE A BRIGHT SPARK 

As with many businesses 

and charities across 

the globe, Bristol Bears 

Community Foundation 

continues to face a number of 

challenges as a result of the 

COVID-19 pandemic. 

The lockdown period saw little income 

for the charity, with future funding also 

set to be cut by 30% during the new 

academic year. 

One of the programmes set to be 

hit the hardest is ‘Bright Sparks’ – a 

sport-based education and intervention 

programme that uses the unique values 

and ethics of rugby union to engage 

with and educate some of the most 

disaffected young people from areas of 

Bristol recognised as the ten per cent 

most deprived areas in the country. 

We need some support… 

Bristol is a city of geographical 

inequality and poverty with clear 

evidence that the place we live or are 

born will likely dictate our life chances. 

Bristol has 41 areas listed as the ten 

per cent most deprived in England, 

including three areas recognised as 

being the most deprived one per cent in 

the country. 

Fifteen per cent of Bristol residents live 

in the ten per cent most deprived areas 

of England, 18,900 of which are children 

and young people. Disadvantaged 

young people in Bristol are less likely 

to achieve in education when compared 

to their peers. Worryingly, this gap is 

increasing. Bright Sparks addresses 

a need by challenging the associated 

underachievement by those who 

come from low social economic and 

vulnerable groups. 

The foundation has seen many of the 

typical grant funds that usually supports 

its work diverted to support those most 

affected by the impact of COVID-19. 

This has created an issue however for 

existing programmes such as Bright 

Sparks which already address the 

growing need around inequality. During 

the last three years, 90 per cent of 

young people we have worked with 

are classed as disadvantaged. Not 

delivering these types of community 

programmes will only exasperate the 

challenges faced by young people and 

their families. 

As a result, we are appealing for local 

businesses to ‘Sponsor a Spark’ and 

change a young person’s life for as little 

as £400. 

Bright Sparks 

‘Bright Sparks’ is a sport-based education 

and intervention programme that uses 

the values and ethics of rugby union to 

effectively engage and educate some of the 

most disaffected young people from the most 

disadvantaged areas of Bristol. We also work 

with young people that are identified by a 

number of agencies as being at risk from 

issues such as permanent exclusion, antisocial 

behaviour and potential imprisonment. 

The Bright Sparks programme continues to 

evolve from its inception 12 years ago as 

a programme that has proven success in 

engaging with some of the most disaffected 

young people in our region. Bright Sparks 

provides young people with the opportunity 

to learn new skills, gain a qualification, and 

realise the importance of education to their 

futures. As a result of engaging with the 

programme, young people understand that 

if they commit and work towards achieving 

their goals, they can be successful. 

73 


40

INTERVIEW 

TAKING THE LOAD 

W 

ith ten games in nine 

weeks and the dangling 

carrot of finals rugby 

potentially to follow, Kevin 

Geary’s role as Head of Athletic 

Performance has never been 

more important. 

An extended lockdown period presented 

its own unique challenges, but with rugby 

now back on the menu, Geary says load 

management will be one of keys to success 

during a congested run-in. 

“One of the biggest challenges is the 

management of each individual,” he said. 

“If you include the Academy, we’ve got 50 

players to work through across 10 weeks. 

“There is of course the danger of 

overloading certain players, but 

underloading of players is also an important 

factor. 

finale have been boosted by the formal 

opening of the club’s state-of-the-art 

High-Performance Centre – and Geary says 

the new facility has enabled a smooth and 

safe transition through the return to play 

protocols. 

Kevin Geary (centre) with Pat Lam at the 

Bears’ new High Performance Centre 

75 

“So, if you take no part in the first five 

weeks of games due to selection, you could 

then end up playing a game and if we’ve 

underloaded you and not looked after 

your training loads, then you’re likely to 

underperform, or worse, to break down with 

an injury. So, it’s about finding the correct 

balance for the each individual. 

“You combine GPS, video, overall training 

load and overall match load to give you a 

clear picture on what each individual player 

has been exposed to. The aim of this last 

block of training has been around preparing 

the players for these tight turnarounds & 

high match/training demands.” 

The Bears’ preparations for a jam-packed 

“The size of the centre has been a huge 

benefit. We’ve held all of our team meetings 

in the indoor facility and the large space 

has allowed us to distance the players, while 

the large doors enabled us to ventilate 

effectively. 

“In the gym, we’ve been able to set up 18 

individual stations within the new centre 

whereas we could do a maximum of nine at 

Clifton. So, that’s doubled our capacity and 

meant we didn’t need to break guys into 

small groups or extend the training day.” 

With the Bears still fighting on two fronts – 

domestically and in Europe – Geary and his 

team know their work could play a huge part 

in the outcome of the 2019/20 season. 

“ONE OF THE BIGGEST 

CHALLENGES IS THE 

MANAGEMENT OF 

EACH INDIVIDUAL. 

IF YOU INCUDE THE 

ACADEMY, WE’VE GOT 

50 PLAYERS TO WORK 

THROUGH ACROSS 

10 WEEKS.” 


2019/20 FIXTURES / RESULTS 

T Try P Penalty C Conversion DG Drop Goal 4Replaced 4Replacement Sin Bin Red card R Red card rescinded 

DATE KO OPPOSITION H/A COMP. SCORE ATT. Referee 

78 

Fri Sep 20 7.45pm Harlequins A 12-24 9,051 I Tempest Protheroe Pincus Bedlow Eden Fricker Madigan 

T T C 

Fri Sep 27 7.45pm GLOUCESTER RUGBY H 20-17 7,274 T Foley Daniels Edwards O’Conor Hurrell Powell Sheedy 

T 2C 2P 

Sun Oct 6 3pm LONDON IRISH H 44-27 4,685 M Hudson Protheroe Fricker O’Conor Hurrell Daniels Eden 

2T 

5C 3P 

Sat Oct 12 3pm Exeter Chiefs A 19-42 9,706 C Maxwell-Keys Pincus Fricker Powell Bedlow Bates Madigan 

T 

T 

Fri Oct 18 7.45pm BATH RUGBY H 43-16 26,399 T Foley C Piutau Morahan O'Conor Hurrell Protheroe Sheedy 

2T T T 3C 

Sat Oct 26 7.45pm Harlequins A 17-22 13,066 I Tempest C Piutau Morahan O'Conor S Piutau Protheroe Sheedy 

4P 

Fri Nov 1 7.45pm SALE SHARKS H 16-9 14,639 C Ridley C Piutau Morahan O'Conor S Piutau Daniels Sheedy 

C 3P 

Sun Nov 10 3pm Exeter Chiefs A 20-17 11,015 K Dickson C Piutau Morahan Hurrell S Piutau O'Conor Sheedy 

T 2C 2P 

Sat Nov 16 3pm ZEBRE H 59-21 10,511 L Cayre (France) C Piutau Morahan O'Conor S Piutau (c) Fricker Lloyd 

T T T 7C P 

Fri Nov 22 7pm Brive A 36-0 4533 C Evans (Wales) Protheroe Morahan O'Conor Bedlow Fricker Sheedy 

T T 4C P 

Sun Dec 1 3pm LONDON IRISH H 27-27 15,033 W Barnes C Piutau Morahan O'Conor S Piutau Fricker Sheedy 

T 

2C P 

Sat Dec 7 3pm STADE FRANCAIS H 37-11 11,120 D Jones (Wales) C Piutau Morahan O'Conor Bedlow Leuia Madigan 

T T 2C 3P 

Sat Dec 14 8pm Stade Francais A 18-16 1,450 A Piardi (Italy) Protheroe Fricker O'Conor Bedlow Leuia Sheedy 

C 2P 

Sun Dec 21 3pm Saracens A 13-47 8,250 T Foley C Piutau Morahan O'Conor Bedlow Fricker Sheedy 

T 

C 2P 

Fri Dec 27 7.45pm WASPS H 21-26 23,078 L Pearce C Piutau Morahan O’Conor Leuia Fricker Sheedy 

T 

C 3P 

Sat Jan 4 3pm Leicester Tigers A 18-31 19,807 J P Doyle C Piutau Fricker O’Conor Hurrell Leuia Sheedy 

T 

C 2P 

Sat Jan 11 3pm BRIVE H 52-3 10,874 B Blain (Sco) Protheroe Morahan O’Conor Bedlow Leuia Sheedy 

T T T T 7C P 

Sat Jan 18 3pm Zebre A 7-7 1,900 T Charabas Protheroe Morahan Leuia Madigan Fricker Sheedy (cc) 

C 

Sat Jan 25 3pm GLOUCESTER RUGBY H 34-18 18,779 K Dickson Morahan Purdy O’Conor Bedlow Leuia Sheedy 

T T 2C 5P 

Sat Feb 15 3pm Northampton Saints A 20-14 12,666 T Foley C Piutau Morahan O’Conor Bedlow Leuia Sheedy 

2C P 

Sun Feb 23 1pm WORCESTER WARRIORS H 13-10 12,867 J P Doyle C Piutau Morahan O’Conor Bedlow Purdy Sheedy 

T 

C 2P 

Sat Feb 29 3pm Bath Rugby A 19-13 13,967 I Tempest C Piutau Morahan O’Conor Bedlow Leuia Sheedy 

T 2C 

Sat Mar 8 3pm HARLEQUINS H 28-15 14,618 C Maxwell-Keys C Piutau Morahan Leuia Bedlow Purdy Sheedy 

2T 

3C 2P 

Sat Aug 15 4.30pm SARACENS H 

Fri Aug 21 7.45pm Gloucester Rugby A 

Tue Aug 25 7.45pm EXETER CHIEFS H 

Sat Aug 29 3pm Sale Sharks A 

Fri Sep 4 6pm Worcester Warriors A 

Tue Sep 8 7.45pm NORTHAMPTON SAINTS H 

Sun Sep 13 12.30pm Wasps A 

Fri Sep 18 7.45pm DRAGONS H 

Wed Sep 23 7.45pm LEICESTER TIGERS H 

Sun Oct 4 3pm London Irish A 

#TogetherWeRise

Randall Y Thomas Malton Lahiff Holmes Muldowney Dun Heenan (c) Batley Capon Dawe N Thomas Hawkins Kloska Stirzaker Ascherl Bates 

42 41 43 48 48 49 410 411 

Uren Woolmore Thacker Afoa Hawkins Joyce Luatua D Thomas Hughes Kloska Lahiff Thiede Holmes Heenan Stirzaker Bedlow Bates 

T 410 43 41 44 48 49 411 414 

Uren Woolmore Thacker Afoa (c) Holmes Muldowney Joyce D Thomas Hughes Malton Y Thomas N Thomas Hawkins Heenan Randall Sheedy Powell 

T T T 42 41 43 45 47 49 411 

Stirzaker (c) Y Thomas Kloska N Thomas Attwood Muldowney Hawkins Dun Batley Capon Dawe Thiede Hamilton Randall Lloyd Eden J-Fisher 

42 T 41 43 44 49 415 410 413 

Uren Woolmore Thacker Afoa Attwood Joyce Luatua (c) D Thomas Hughes Malton Y Thomas Lahiff Vui Heenan Randall Lloyd Leiua 

T T 42 44 46 49 415 T C 411 

Uren Woolmore Thacker Afoa Joyce Vui Luatua (c) D Thomas Hughes Malton Y Thomas Thiede Holmes Heenan Randall Lloyd Hurrell 

42 41 44 47 T 49 411 

Uren Woolmore Malton Afoa Attwood Vui Luatua (c) Heenan Hughes Thacker Y Thomas Lahiff Holmes D Thomas Randall Lloyd Hurrell 

42 41 43 44 48 49 411 T 412 

Randall Woolmore Thacker Afoa Attwood Vui Luatua (c) Heenan Hughes Capon Y Thomas Thiede Holmes D Thomas Uren Lloyd Fricker 

42 41 43 44 47 T 49 415 413 

Randall Y Thomas Capon Lahiff Holmes Joyce Vui D Thomas Hamilton Thacker James Lay Thiede Hawkins Dun Uren Sheedy Powell 

T T T 42 43 41 46 44 410 T C 415 T 413 

Randall Woolmore Thacker Lahiff Attwood Joyce Luatua (c) D Thomas Hamilton Capon Y Thomas Thiede Holmes Hawkins Stirzaker Lloyd Powell 

T 42 T 41 43 47 T 46 49 414 413 

Uren Woolmore Thacker Afoa Joyce Vui Luatua (c) D Thomas Hughes Capon Y Thomas Lahiff Holmes Hamilton Randall Lloyd Leiua 

T T 44 48 T 49 410 412 

Randall Woolmore Thacker Afoa Attwood Vui Luatua (c) Heenan Hughes Capon Jo Lay N Thomas Holmes Hamilton Stirzaker Lloyd Fricker 

T 41 42 45 49 410 2C 412 T 

Stirzaker Woolmore Capon Lahiff Holmes Joyce Vui (c) Heenan Hughes Thacker Ja Lay N Thomas Hawkins Hamilton Uren Lloyd Morahan 

T 42 T 41 43 47 49 415 412 

Uren Woolmore Thacker Afoa Joyce Vui Luatua (c) Heenan Hughes Capon Ja Lay Lahiff Holmes Hamilton Randall Lloyd Leuia 

41 43 45 46 414 415 412 

Uren Woolmore Thacker Afoa Attwood Vui Luatua (c) Heenan Hughes Capon Jo Lay Lahiff Holmes Hamilton Randall Lloyd Bedlow 

T 42 4 4 49 

Randall Jo Lay Thacker Afoa Holmes Vui Luatua (c) D Thomas Hughes Capon Woolmore Lahiff Attwood Heenan Stirzaker Madigan Morahan 

T 42 41 43 44 48 49 410 412 

Randall Woolmore Thacker Lahiff Attwood Joyce Luatua (c) D Thomas Hamilton Capon Dawe Thiede Hawkins Heenan Uren Lloyd Powell 

T T 42 T 41 43 44 46 411 423 413 

Uren Woolmore Capon Thiede Holmes Joyce Hamilton Heenan (cc) Hughes Thacker Dawe N Thomas Hawkins Luatua Randall Purdy Pincus 

42 420 43 45 48 49 T 415 

Randall Woolmore Malton Afoa Attwood Vui Luatua (c) D Thomas Hughes Capon Dawe Thiede Holmes Heenan Uren Lloyd Protheroe 

42 41 43 44 48 49 410 412 T 

Randall Woolmore Malton Afoa Attwood Vui Luatua (c) D Thomas Hughes Capon Y Thomas Thiede Joyce Heenan Uren Madigan Purdy 

42 41 43 T 46 48 49 410 P 411 T 

Randall Woolmore Capon Thiede Attwood Joyce Vui (c) Heenan Hughes Malton Y Thomas Afoa Hamilton D Thomas Uren Lloyd Leiua 

42 41 43 44 47 49 412 411 

Uren Y Thomas Malton Thiede Holmes Joyce Vui Luatua (c) Crane Capon Woolmore Lahiff Hughes Hamilton Randall Madigan Protheroe 

T 42 41 43 48 47 49 T 412 414 

Randall Y Thomas Capon Afoa Joyce Vui Luatua (c) D Thomas Hughes Byrne Woolmore Lahiff Holmes Heenan Uren Madigan Protheroe 

T 42 41 43 44 48 49 413 

79

Bristol Bears 2019/20

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?