Leicester Tigers fell to a rampant, play-off bound Bristol Bears side. Tigers brought early pressure and plenty of attacking intent but the hosts just had too much at Ashton Gate.

It’s a sizeable atmosphere at Ashton Gate as the players run out amongst a host of flags proclaiming this as ‘Bear Country’. Well, all but one run out as Amy Cokayne, ever the coolest player on the pitch, strolls out into the spring sunshine to make her return to a Tigers jersey.

Tigers receive the ball from kick off and immediately target territory, Sarah Nicholas’ long kick collected well at fullback. Bears truck it up but a dual shot from Scotland props Leah Bartlett and Lisa Cockburn set the tempo before Cokayne smashes her opposite number into touch.

A picture-perfect line out sees Charlotte Fray truck it up in midfield before Tigers clear long again. The hosts look to run it back but a sizeable press forces a forward pass in midfield and we get ready for the game’s opening scrum.

The similarities between the two sides is evident early as both sides fling the ball around with gusto, trading possession as they attempt risky offloads and storming lines.

However, the physical toll this amount of open play takes on a team is draining and the opening score comes from a straightforward pick and go from scrum half Keira Bevan, breaking through from the 22.

Tigers have shown their own hunger for the tryline and they come roaring back into it here, lead by an amazing behind-the-back catch from Fray, as they get up to the 22 and win a penalty, duly kicked to touch and duly mauled over the line, England hooker Amy Cokayne at the tail to dive over for her first Tigers score.

Now the hosts look to strike straight back and a poor clearance kick to touch puts Tigers under pressure but there’s incredible work from Richardson to claim in the air and hooker Cokayne spiral bombs to halfway.

There is incredible work rate here in defence and the visitors actually drive Bears back from halfway to their own 22, the blitzing from Fray, Cokayne, Relf and Roisin McBrien keeping the hosts caged. A pair of penalties conceded allows play to make its way back into Tigers 22 but stellar defence in the tight forces Bears to go wide, where Amy Relf intercepts and breaks up field.

Tigers instantly go for the space and a cross field kick to Francesca McGhie allows the Scot to get us an additional 25 metres up field. Tigers now come into their groove and use their width, McGhie cut just short of a wonder try from halfway after a looping wide pass from Sarah Nicholas.  

But once again the ball is turned over and Tigers cede possession back.

Here, with half an hour gone, we see the floodgates open. The hosts bag two tries in quick succession; first, wing Millie David leaves her wing to wrap around and fly through a gap to score  before a long-range try from Simi Pam sees Bears break from their own 22 before a two on one puts Pam into space on the halfway line, the prop having the gas to dive over.

Tigers roar back into it soon after, the third try this game has seen in five minutes. Incremental, agricultural carries get the side to within five metres where Cokayne gets her second by smashing over.

Tigers look to keep within touching distance as the game ebbs into the final minute, Richardson with a great tackle on a breaking Bear before a stellar tap tackle allows Relf to get straight over and win a brilliant turnover on halfway.

However, Bears claim the ball back and strike at the death, their slick offloading finding space in midfield, a pop up to Row Marston-Mulhearn seeing the No. 8 crash over.

Half time score: Bristol Bears 33 – 12 Leicester Tigers

Natasha Jones kicks off the second period with a deep kick into Bears territory, her defence earning a knock on early.

Elis Martin has entered the field at the break and has already put in a sizeable shot as she packs down at flanker here. The visitors win the scrum penalty and immediately kick to touch, looking to maul over from fifteen metres; after an infringement, Tigers have a second penalty, again kicked to touch and from here they score, the maul stopped just short but captain Jones hitting a lovely show and go before fending off her opposite number and touching down.

Tigers look to keep building back into this matchup and, although they lose the ball from kick off, Tash follows up her try with an astute turnover and kick to touch just outside of Bears 22. The side can’t make it count however and after several minutes of sustained possession, Bears turn the ball over on their own line and eventually win a penalty, kicking to touch then breaking into Tigers’ half.

After fifteen straight minutes of pressure, Bears finally regather possession and make it count instantly, three quickfire tries putting the game to bed.

Firstly, fullback Ella Lovibond dots down for successive scores, one in either corner as the side exploit space in the wide areas before Red Rose prop Hannah Botterman enters from the bench and gets a score, taking an offload at the line and powering over.

Leicester have little to fight for but a try bonus point, which they get through another rolling maul score from Cokayne; a hat-trick from the hooker who has now scored her first, second and third tries for Tigers all in the same game.

As bodies tire, Bears get the final words through Wales flanker Alisha Joyce-Butchers before substitute hooker Bobbie Jackson scores with the clock in the red.

A tough defeat where the scoreline doesn’t fully reflect the game, Leicester Tigers had enough chances to win that game, if their defence had been more solid.  

Full time score: Bristol Bears 62 – 24 Leicester Tigers