Ep 220 - Short, sharp Tigers review and looking forward to Big Day Out Two

Transcript

Quick Intro And School Night

SPEAKER_01 0:07

You're listening to Bears Be on the Gay, a Bristol Bears podcast by five fans, four fans. In this episode, we look back on the disappointing or maybe frustrating defeat against Leicester Tigers when we looked potentially at one point that we were gonna win with a bonus point try and then ultimately ended up with nothing, which is always a disappointing thing. However, we dust ourselves off a little bit and of course look forward to our big day out on Saturday against Harlequins and talk a little bit about what we need to do to make sure we get back on the horse. I'm Pete and I'm joined by Lee and Miles for a bit of rugby banter online and no cheap beers because it's a school night. Alright, lads.

SPEAKER_02 0:52

That's strictly true in my case, Pete. You've got a beer, have you? I've got a London Pride. I just popped into Tesco just before the the pod. So uh I've got I've got a can of London Pride, mate. Doesn't taste quite as nice in cans as bottles there or draft.

SPEAKER_01 1:08

No, but they do say London no, London Pride doesn't travel well. That's the kind of myth.

SPEAKER_02 1:13

Yeah, yeah, I think I'd agree with you. It's too strong for you anyway, Miles. It's 4.9. Oh, here we are, mate.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

There we are. Have you got a beer, Miles? Uh no, I'm I'm abstaining this evening. I've got one more day of work this week, and then I'm on my jollies. So refrain this evening. Oh, that sounds great.

Leicester Loss And Costly Errors

SPEAKER_01 1:37

Well, I'm sure all those people have got to work right up to Friday and are uh very pleased for you. I bet, I bet. Anyway, boys, we're we're here. I think we've got to do a relatively quick one because obviously the game was on Sunday. We weren't able to really do anything Sunday night for various reasons, and then we couldn't do one last night for various reasons. And I don't know about you boys, but the longer the time goes on, the less I can remember about what happened. But I think I'll just start by saying overall it felt like uh it was disappointing and a bit frustrating because we were in the game for quite a long time, but it was quite a ring rusty performance. And would you agree, Miles? Yeah, there were I agree.

SPEAKER_00 2:23

I'm I'm just super frustrated that we came away with zero points. You're right at the one moment were we looking to win it. I don't know. I mean it ring rusty. That absolutely, I think there were um a few too many errors, some few too many no-look passes that on a good day would go into a winger's hand and we'd score. Um, and but you I can't deny that unfortunately Leicester had an absolutely superior defence over Bristol at the weekend. They laid made made less mistakes and fewer mistakes, and and really ultimately that that didn't really need to do much more, and and it got them a got them a five-point win.

SPEAKER_01 3:06

Yeah, I mean, Lee, it was kind of at one point it was I think 21-19, and we had got back into it, and we had like all the momentum. Uh, we looked like we had a slightly superior bench, um, but various things kind of went wrong, and we did get into the 22, and then we didn't, and I don't know, it it was just one of those games where it was a double whammy at the end where they actually scored a bonus point try to uh and we didn't get anything at all. I mean, what what would you put this ring rustiness down to, Lee, if you had to cast your sharp analytical brain over the situation?

SPEAKER_02 3:46

I I uh I think that I mean sometimes you have games like this, don't you? And and sometimes it just happens. I know it's it's it's not um it's not really rocket science. I think ring rustiness is probably a fair a fair comment. I think that they were just a little bit sharper, a little bit more together. And like Miles has said already, like there was there was times when you know we threw the ball around and and that ball would have stuck and we would have gone on to win the game. And I think it was just one of those, like I I know Pat's got a he's taken a bit of stick for you know maybe resting uh two or three players, but I don't think that would have had too much effect uh to the outcome. I just think it was one of those games where it didn't really come off for us and you know it it's you know it's it's upsetting, but we move on.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

Yeah, I mean the stats kind of showed, I think, realist really that we were relatively equal. But I think the big thing was that there was 18 turnovers uh from us in various different forms. It was a festival of turnovery, and uh that that does come back to to bite you uh after it. It's just if that little cohesion, that timing is a little bit off, which kind of you can understand when you haven't played a game as a proper group for quite a while. I think they had a behind closed doors hit out against Ospreys, didn't they? Uh apparently, I'd heard. It's not quite the same. And I suppose we've always thought that yeah, we do quite well in the run-in, but I think the last two seasons we've had home games, haven't we? And we we played Northampton once, where they didn't have any of their England players and they looked a bit lost. And I think we we probably I think we did mention this last Sunday that we probably had like the more difficult first game back that we have done for a while. Um and uh I don't know, it's it's hard to know. I mean it's the same for both sides, I suppose. But Miles, they did they did put their big guns in. Ollie Chesson, I reckon, was still I mean heart rate was probably still quite high uh from his his travails in Paris the week before.

SPEAKER_00 5:55

And he did he he did he did play well, didn't he? Yeah, I mean he well, I think he got man of the match, didn't he? He had played a phenomenal game and he looked like he'd hardly really be played the Six Nations, but he had so much energy and and command in that pack, you know, and they had a they had their internationals in the front row, didn't they? And I think like we alluded to last week, despite them, you know, Chiefs putting out a slightly weaker team in that Prem Cup final, um Leicester, I don't believe, made too many changes, and they were just a little bit more lively, a little bit more together, uh, and had that winning spirit about them. And it was a home advantage. I mean, not I think it's you know, one team has gone up to Welford Road this this this year and beaten them, and it would have been a tough gig to do the same. So I'm not surprised they put in a great performance, and it just you know, to win there at the weekend, eight any other team would have had to just play it out of their skin to beat Leicester. They were just a little bit more on it. Billy Sell was playing really, really well, kicking to the line well, making great line decisions. I mean, some of our players, Pat would probably admit, didn't have the best game in the world, and they were sort of substituted fairly early, and that probably, yeah, the the the cohesion wasn't really there as it was with Leicester.

SPEAKER_01 7:13

Yeah, I mean it was a bit I mean, Sam Worsley got substituted quite early, I think quite early in the second half, and obviously then Jimmy Williams went in. Mateus Moroni, who we at last minute remembered last week, who did make the 23, came on. I mean, that's that's not a bad change. I think I don't know, I I wasn't I didn't think Worsley had a terrible first half. I think it was a you know he he was he was doing okay. I I think but you know he's a young lad and he's still learning and and we know he's he's class, but I do think it maybe is one of those situations where we we needed somebody to kind of control the game a little bit more in the second half, and maybe, just maybe the one thing that might have improved. Maybe if Tom Jordan was playing at 10 with his kind of international class, it might have made a difference just in that second half where we kind of were on the edge a little bit and we were pushing, but you know, maybe we could have pinned them back a bit. I don't know, it's really hard to say. I don't think I didn't think Sam Wesley had actually that bad a half, but you know, you've got to make these calls. I guess Pat, you know, they know more than we do, they know how players are feeling, they can see that you know they've got they've got the this the video stuff, you know. Who knows? You make these calls, and you know, 2019 or 2119, it was all looking pretty good for us, to be fair. And I think that to be honest, that's the real disappointment. I think we were we'd got ourselves back in the game pretty well after going 14-nil down early on, and um, so it's just a shame that we just I think from you know quite a long way out, we didn't look like scoring at bonus point try, but I don't know. It's uh it's a tricky one, isn't it, Lee? I don't know if you uh what you could say.

SPEAKER_02 8:56

Yeah, no, I'd I'd say like in terms of you know, you just mentioned Sam Worsley. I mean, he you know, he's he's still a young lad, and you know, he it it takes a a period of time to to start dominating games, you know, and he's done so well, and I think we are gonna have to just accept as supporters, he's gonna have times like that. And like I say, it wasn't he wasn't awful, but he's gonna have times like that. He's still a young lad, he's still progressing, he's still learning. And you know, I mean, uh, would would Tom Jordan have made a bigger difference? Yeah, probably, possibly. But with Sam Wersley, we've got a player for the future, and he's and and these are the peaks and troughs that he's gonna have to go through.

Standouts And What Went Right

SPEAKER_01 9:41

Yeah, no, I think so. It's it's all part of the uh the development narrative. I don't know, I don't know, a few points. Let's let's pick on some good things as well, though. I mean, I think um despite the fact you mentioned they had their international front row and Nikki Smith and and Joe Hayes, I think that uh George Klosker did pretty well against Nikki Smith, was solid. I think he gave away one scrum pen, but then he got two back after that. And I mean that's going to give him uh good self-belief. And I think we were pretty solid. Like line out was pretty good as all as normal, and of course, probably our player, well, Fitz was probably one of our players yet again. Oh, yeah, you know, unbelievable. And I should say this while I remember it, is that there's definitely now a narrative in the commentary box about Fitz Harding. There was some chat about you know he's how he's couldn't do any more, and in another era he'd probably be playing for England, but even and it was people like Ben Kay and Austin Nealy saying that. And they're like, I when Ben Kay says something like that, I sort of think, yeah, there's something in this. So you never know. You know, the things could happen with Fitz Harding that the momentum could change. He's he he can't do anything more than just do what he does, which is is in that you know, is is be very dynamic, very you know, just an all-action hero. And then he scored two tries as well, so he shows he's got a bit of bit of grunt as well. So yeah, what about Old Grey though, um Miles?

SPEAKER_00 11:03

I think I think the same. I mean, the the commentary team were sort of lapping it up, really. I again they commented that you know, with England's slight crisis in the uh in the hooker department, he he's all over the pitch, he's so dynamic and so fast. But you look at his size, and it's I think that's his slight disadvantage, really. Uh, and I think that's probably the only reason he just needs a little bit more grunt that he's not getting picked for England. I mean, he's throwing his arrows uh pretty well, you know, he he he gets behind a ruck and tight, and he's just great. I mean, if a couple of throws are a little bit off sorts, but that happens in any 80-minute game, to be honest with you. You know, it can be that just the slight comms between the thrower and the uh and the receiver is just not quite there, a few overthrows, um, but you know, and Leicester you know they disrupted a couple of line outs, that can happen, you know, they've got a really good pack in them, and and you know, and Jeff Parlin, I think, is is coaching them now really well. They're looking like a very dangerous team in both what Leicester used to be a bit of a grunt pack and really running you know really exciting lines in the backs as well. It's you're annoying to see, but hang on, Mars.

SPEAKER_01 12:16

You sound like you're you're you're doing a digging up Leicester Come and Get Me plea to the rolling wall pod there, like you're looking for a transfer over, you're bagging on about how good they are in this, Jeff Parling that, Ollie Chess and this, Oli Chess and that.

SPEAKER_00 12:32

But something you haven't told us. No, not really. We've still got a superior hooker in uh Gabriel O'Grey, but yeah, it's that that's it. I I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 12:42

I don't know. Um I don't know what else to say, really. I mean, we don't have to go on about it for very long. It was a bit disappointing, it was a bit frustrating, there was some good stuff. Revovo scored a great try again. You know, we we we're we're there or thereabouts. We we look, you know, we're a proper team, aren't we? We're a we look like a proper team, we just maybe we were just uncohesive, it was just frustrating, um, but you know, it's not the worst thing in the world, Lee.

SPEAKER_02 13:08

I just want to ask you two a question, actually. If that game was taking place at Ashton Gate, would we have won that game?

SPEAKER_01 13:20

It's hard to say, innit? I mean, if we played the same way, probably it would have been just as close because uh you know it's one of those classic uh situations. Was it uh us playing a bit under par and tigers playing pretty solid, or was it a bit of both?

unknown 13:37

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 13:39

Well, I guess we'll never know, but we'll never know. I don't I I just have a little sneaky feeling if that was if that game was being played in BS3, we would have sneaked it.

SPEAKER_00 13:49

Yeah, it's yeah. It was frustrating. I mean, you know, to to have sort of in the in the 81st minute flipping Freddie Stewart or a crossfield kick and it just plum into something, you know, in the ringers' hands. Yeah, and I forget they had a they had a disadvoyer on top of that, didn't they? Yeah. That we, you know, thank goodness it. It was well, he dropped it, but you know, that was nearly end-to-end stuff.

SPEAKER_01 14:11

So but that was from there 22 as well, wasn't it? Which could have been a little thing we do.

SPEAKER_00 14:15

Well, yeah, yeah.

Big Day Out Plans In Cardiff

SPEAKER_01 14:16

Oh well, I think we I think we should leave it there. I think we're all we're we're on for a quick pod tonight. Um, I'm sure other other fans will will think that we've forgotten a few things. But I was kind of a bit depressed when we started. I feel a bit better now chatting it through, and I think this is the whole point about podcasts like this. You chat it through a bit, you feel a bit better. You know, I feel a bit chipper now, and of course, uh that that leads us on nicely to the fact that we've we've got the big day out coming, and there's big news, Lee, isn't there? Big news that you want to tell uh tell our listeners.

SPEAKER_02 14:49

Well, I uh I I at this time this is literally hot off the press, but I am gonna make an appearance on Saturday, mainly, mainly to the fact that Miles is uh is sorted a ticket out for me and a lift to and fro. So uh so thank you, Miles. I do appreciate that.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

And I I I've prepped up all five service stations on the way to and from Cardiff saying, can you clean the box? Will we stop in the mill in the mall with Lee's weak bladder? Well, that is good news.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

The good news, and then I mean the other thing which is totally unconfirmed, but I may as well say it. I am working quite hard to try and figure out if we can do both a pre-match pod and a post-match pod at one of the fan pubs in Cardiff. Uh negotiations are still at a delicate stage, but if we do uh manage to get our pod equipment set up, which is which is the plan, because I'm actually going on the Friday night, so I can take the microphones and all that sort of stuff with me and set it up. We will post out on our socials about our plans, and of course, if anybody's around, we do have the fourth mic, don't we, Miles? The fourth mic, a spare mic. And who knows, we might be uh we might want a few opinions from a few people. So I'm saying it's very speculative, but the plan would be to do something. So who knows what might happen. But anyway, um let's just think very quickly then. I mean, I guess because Pat clearly didn't pick those three for this game, there's a pretty uh pretty certain uh it's pretty certain that uh Genji, Tom Jordan, and Lewis Reezamit will be coming back into the 23 uh or straight into the 15. So any thoughts? As far as I'm aware, nobody got injured on uh Sunday. I think Bill Matter had a sore knee, but that's just par for the course.

SPEAKER_00 16:48

Well look at the size of him, isn't it? Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 16:51

I mean, I think he you know his knee probably I don't know where we're at. Anyway, so uh it's hard, yeah. I i I think we we've got a fairly you know good range of people. I mean, do you what do you see up top nee up top, Lee? Uh in the engine room, where what might we see there?

SPEAKER_02 17:06

Any changes or um yeah, I mean I think that we'd we'd probably well we know that we've got long term long-term injury for bats, haven't we? So he's gonna I think I think uh Dunny Dunny and Owen. Yeah, Dunny and Owen, I think that and I'm happy with that. I think those two work really well.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

Yeah, they play they they got they were solid operators on Sunday as well. They did what they gotta do, which is just keep going.

SPEAKER_02 17:33

Yeah. And I I think really what you know what you've said, I mean, the three players coming in, I think they will come into the 15 or three. Um and then I think we'll kind of I mean we'll definitely be a stronger outfit, and I think we're playing a and I I really hate saying this, but we're playing a Quinn's team that aren't that great this season, um, to to say the least. So I think we'll be stronger, and I think that I mean it should be, I mean, it's all arrows pointing to to being a really spectacle of a day out, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 18:08

Yeah, I mean we Miles, we've got to hit those boys hard, we've got to hit Quinn's hard. They are a bit in disarray, we can't let them get their pecker up, and you know, you are an expert when it comes to pecker uppering. So thank you very much. So if we're gonna hit him hard early, we've got to break their spirit, and I would say Genji starts, and then Klosker starts, and then they keep going as long as they can.

Quins Preview And Selection Calls

SPEAKER_00 18:33

Yeah, I think so. I mean, you know, I think Wooly did he play the fell 80 minutes just Wooly probably on the bench. He's cut he's come back from injury, obviously his facial injury or whatever happened, um, straight into the starting 15 and played a great game. So, yeah, I mean he's clearly fully fit. Um, got you know, got enough in the engine to put an 80 minutes out. He's got to be on the bench to come on, you know, should someone you know get a little bit tired. You're right, you know, we've got no choice but Owen and um engine room and then and let's let's the matters just yeah. I mean, let's I don't know, it could either be you know, Bill Matter fitz, I don't know. Um Fitz and Stevie again. Stevie as well, like you said, they didn't appear too.

SPEAKER_01 19:14

I like the idea of Stevie to give it a real solid base to start with. I think so line out option. Yeah, and then maybe Santi comes on when he gets excited.

SPEAKER_00 19:24

I mean let's face facts after the disappointing last Sunday, we have this is a must-win, and it's I say it's a must five-point win. It is quint quinn's chips are down at the moment, and we cannot give them an inch uh to really score a few tries, you know, get their pecker up and think that really they can come away with anything. That that cannot happen, and it's okay, you know, it's it's within our remit to sort of stop that.

SPEAKER_01 19:49

I would say, I mean, Jordan we're saying is gonna start. So the other big I suppose the other debate is is it gonna be Marmion or Randall Lee?

SPEAKER_02 19:58

Um I I I think that Pat Lam will stick with Randall. Um personally, I would go with Kira Marmion, but that's that's my own opinion. But they're kind of they'll both do a job, I'm sure. And you know, whoever seems to come on seems to do well, so yeah, you know, I I think whoever plays is is is good for me.

SPEAKER_01 20:19

And then it's Jimmy and J VR, Lewis Reese Sammit at fullback, Bravovo and um Ibitoy on the wings, I'd imagine, and then take pick. I think in the in the the the 23, we'll have George Taylor, I think, will probably go in there because he can offer second row and back row option, six option. We obviously need to have a it will be if Lahiv's fit, I imagine fit, he may come back in. I know he they said he was a bit of a doubt all week and it was a last minute call. Woolly. Um, and then uh yeah, obviously Marmion or Randall, and then maybe Hooard may drop to the bench, Noah Heward, because he can cover all full back and win. Of course, yeah. Uh and obviously, I don't know, would Worsley get uh get on the bench? He may well do. I don't know. It's uh it's a tricky one, but we'll find out we're gonna have a strong side, we're gonna have a strong side, whatever happens, but boys know they. I knew the boys know this, don't they? The boys know that they're fans doing in their droves, and they've heard through the grapevine that Lee Andrews is gonna be there. That's you know, they cannot not put a show on.

SPEAKER_00 21:24

Absolutely. I mean sorry, go on, Lee.

SPEAKER_02 21:28

I just want to say actually, do we know what the tick the latest ticket sales are?

SPEAKER_01 21:32

Yeah, over 40,000. I did my videos last week and I said just under 40,000 if the middle and lower tier is full, they've announced 40,000 sold. Still pretty good. That's a good number. I mean, it is a good number, really.

SPEAKER_00 21:46

I mean, yeah, for a London team to come up. I mean, it's looking at the weather forecast, I don't think we're quite going to be shorts and t shirt like last May, but we will be out there at 2 pm. It's been confirmed for the for the Bears then Bears run up into The stadium that was fun last year, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 22:02

And they've just advertised it on Twitter. And there's a picture of me and you there, Miles, as well. It's that one where we're there. It's like you could see if you know what you're looking for, which is basically just me and you, you can just see the back of my shirt with the Bears Beyond the Gate logo kind of in the crowd, but nobody would spot that if they were just looking at it randomly. And also, Ryan Kiesel and his family are there with our flag as well, and you could just about see it. So it was on Twitter, I think, when they today they they talked about it. So yeah, it's all exciting. The flag, I've got to remember the flag, boys, haven't I? Yeah, the flag has got to get run out. And I'm gonna remember uh I have since last year's big day out, I have actually purchased some reusable cable ties so we can hang it off that barrier and not like try and rip bits of like hair band up or whatever it was for that lovely family that helped us out with their hairbands. I know hairbands, plastic bags, or like when we went to Scarlet's, we used a plastic a ripped up plastic bag to try and thought that was good improvisation. It was a successful hanging. When I watched that that game afterwards, you the the flag was like well prominent. So yeah, the flag's ready. It's gonna get a little wash, a little little uh a little clean, a little shave before we go.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

That'd be great. I mean, you know, we haven't had an away gig for quite some time, and uh what we what we love as podders is is chatting to our listeners, think we uh drinking with our listeners. So we'll do a lot of that. We'll take the mobile recorder. If you want to come and speak to us, um air your views, whether uh good or bad, then we'd love to hear from you.

Transfer Rumours And Final Notes

SPEAKER_01 23:33

And I've got little mini mics, so I might bring the mini mics. We could do live Instagrams where people just like forget about just like we'll we'll mic them up, hold the phone, ask a few questions, and just go live. Instagram live. Let's just build our let's get up to 400 listeners if we can. Anyway, let's get a four minutes. I've just noticed the time. We've got four minutes to go. I feel like we're coming to a natural end. I don't know what listeners want from us, but I think that a short sharp pod this week is probably about as much as people can.

SPEAKER_02 24:03

Actually, actually, Pete, just I just wanted to say it was a piece that John uh Evely had written in the post today um saying that Joe Jenkins possibly to Leicester Tigers. Yeah. Um Graham Slaughter. I mean personally. Yeah, and and Graham slaughter to Elin Trial Finders. Um I mean I know that we're struggling a little bit with uh uh English qualified players, aren't we? Uh with with the percentage at the moment. So Jenkins, you know, possibly. Um but yeah, I I mean personally, certainly in the case of Joe Jenkins, I'd be really gutted if he went because you know, he's you know, a few years ago he was you know one for the future, and he's been so unlucky with injuries, and um, you know, I'd I'd love to keep him at bearers, but uh sadly I kind of feel that he might be off to pastors new.

SPEAKER_01 24:55

Yeah, and I think they yeah, it's a shame. It is a shame, and that EPQ thing is quite important because you you've got to have an average of 15 English qualified players in your 23 over a campaign on average, and yeah, you know, he is he is English qualified, although he is Welsh qualified as well, apparently. But yeah, um yeah, I just feel like he's one of those ones a bit like Billy Searle, he'll go Blooming to Leicester and then he'll suddenly be injury free and like be the best thing since light spread. But it is a tricky one. We know that they've got to balance out all of this stuff, all of these players, and you know, if if somebody is up on the cot his contract's up and you know the averages, the stats don't look that good in appearances. I suppose you know we we've got to look at what else is coming through. And and well, you know, your mate Victor Wursnip, Miles. You know, he could be the new Joe Jenkins centre, absolutely big unit, big silky centre. So yeah, well, let's just see how that pans out. Um, it's always a bit disappointing. Um and we will still continue to hope that there might be maybe one more big signing from somewhere, which which would be quite nice. But as the days go on, you do wonder whether that will happen. But who knows? Who knows? You know, Alfie Barbery, he's gone to Saracen's, hasn't he? And uh Rob Deprees has gone to Bath. Yeah, yeah. They're all moving around. Yeah, we might get somebody. Anyway, boys, it's two minutes to go on the Zoom. Uh, it's probably best to use that as a as a way of finishing, otherwise, we might just ramble on a little bit and and people, you know, might uh there was some guy actually who texted saying that when our last pod came out, he assumed it would be quite a short one. Um, and so he got on the running machine, and then like 55 minutes later, he was like he slept well that night because he wasn't expecting us to be able to talk for like 55 minutes about the about the tigers game. Like we ran through a lot of news. So actually, it was I think he was he was quite pleased. He he got a bit of extra fitness in. But I think for today, half an hour or so, 40 minutes or so is enough on the running machine. Uh, we don't want to overdo it, do we, and pull a muscle or something like that. So, boys, uh uh that's it. We're all looking forward. We'll be meeting up on Saturday morning at some point. Absolutely, and we some sort of pod, don't know quite yet. And we might also add, let's interject.

SPEAKER_00 27:11

We also wish well uh Bristol Bears women, of course. Um we've sort of forgotten about them. It's a double header this weekend, of course. Um, and you know, I think Quinn's got got the rubber the green last time, didn't we? So we'll all be we'll all be cheering them on for a win as well.

SPEAKER_01 27:27

Yeah, exactly. And uh well, I think on that note we'll leave it and we'll say to everyone out there, it's not gonna be long now until Saturday. So I I'm up going up Friday night. So I might, you never know, might bump into a few people, have a couple of sherberts, but not too many. And then I'll see you boys probably late morning, and I'll by then we'll have some sort of plan. Some brand new. Our agent would have sorted something out, exactly. So on that note, everyone, stay safe, have a good week, and one, two, three.

SPEAKER_00 27:56

Up the bears.