Departing Bristol Bears stars return for farewell match
Pat Lam has crammed his Bristol Bears side full of departing superstars ahead of their final match of the season on Saturday.
A loaded XV comprising Charles Piutau, Semi Radradra, Sam Jeffries and Ioan Lloyd will run out at Ashton Gate against West Country rivals Gloucester in the Gallagher Premiership for the final time, with Andy Uren and Sam Bedlow also on the bench.
It was feared that Radradra had played his final game for Bristol when he limped off with a hamstring injury after scoring against ASM Clermont in their Challenge Cup round of 16 loss in March, but he has recovered to play his final game before a move to Lyon next season.
The Fijian is the headline departure at Ashton Gate alongside Charles Piutau, although the former All Black now Tonga international has not revealed his new destination.
The pair will team up again after the match on Saturday though, as they were recently selected in Steve Hansen’s World XV that will take on Eddie Jones’ Barbarians at the end of the month at Twickenham.
Though this is the final game of the season for both sides, as qualification for the Premiership top four has already been confirmed, qualification for next season’s Heineken Champions Cup is still very much up for grabs for both sides, meaning they still have a lot to play for.
Bristol XV
15. Charles Piutau (79 apps), 14. Siva Naulago (26 apps), 13. Semi Radradra (52 apps), 12. James Williams (15 apps), 11. Ioan Lloyd (79 apps), 10. AJ MacGinty (23 apps), 9. Harry Randall (cc) (101 apps); 1. Yann Thomas (110 apps), 2. Harry Thacker (99 apps), 3. Kyle Sinckler (43 apps), 4. Joe Batley (38 apps), 5. Chris Vui (117 apps), 6. Steven Luatua (cc) (113 apps), 7. Sam Jeffries (61 apps), 8. Fitz Harding (51 apps).
System players: 16. Will Capon (69 apps), 17. Jake Woolmore (130 apps), 18. Max Lahiff (66 apps), 19. Magnus Bradbury (21 apps), 20. Jake Heenan (92 apps), 21. Andy Uren (157 apps), 22. Sam Bedlow (62 apps), 23. Piers O’Conor (120 apps).
