By James Logan
Bristol Bears women came out on top on the opening day of the PWR as they hammered Loughborough Lightning in the Midlands. It was the tale of the wingers as both of the visitor’s wingers Reneeqa Bonner and Millie David scored hat-tricks in a 10-try thriller at the Gardens.
The opening day of the PWR at Cinch Stadium at Franklins Gardens was highly anticipated with 113 points being scored between the sides in their two meetings last season.
The first 10 minutes wouldn’t fail to live up to its excitement, Bristol Bears flying out the blocks to storm into the lead.
Winger Reneeqa Bonner would catch the headlines as she scored an eight-minute hat-trick with the pick of the bunch seeing the Bears back beat four defenders before dotting down in the corner.
The bonus point would be secured on the 13th-minute mark, this time the other Bears winger Millie David slaloming in and out of Loughborough defenders to score, Amber Reed adding the extras.
The hosts would respond well to going 19 points down, Lucy Calladine reacting the quickest as Lightning caught their visitors cold with a lineout drill off the training ground, the hooker bundling over in the corner.
Jess Sprague would add another try to the delight of the travelling fans, capping off a brilliant team play to go under the posts, making the score 29-5 to the side from the Southwest.
Both teams did eventually sure up their defences as that’s how it would remain going into the half-time break.
Things would go from bad to worse for the hosts, shortly after the break, Ellen Scantlebury would be sent to the sin bin for a high tackle as David added her second of the afternoon.
David would score the try of the game as she ran from her half, beating the Lightning defenders in a foot race to score under the posts, the extra two would be added as the winger completed her hat-trick in NN5.
The hosts would respond with a score soon after, Calladine scoring her second of the match from close range as Bristol’s Jenny Herring was sent to the sin bin, Lia Green slotting the subsequent conversion.
Replacement Amy Coles would get in on the act getting on the end of a looping pass to dive into the corner. 12-46.
A scrappy last 10 minutes would see the hosts get a consolation with Issy Winter scoring after a short burst, but it wouldn’t be enough as Bristol secured their first win of the 2024/25 PWR campaign.
Loughborough Lightning: 19
TRIES: 3 Lucy Calladine (15’, 58’) Issy Winter (79’)
CONVERSIONS: 2 (Green 58′, 79′)
PENALTIES: 0
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 0
RED CARDS: 0
15. Lia Green 14. Grace Deane 13. Ellen Scantlebury 12. Carmela Morrall 11. Cieron Bell 10. Megan Davey 9. Alicia Maude (VC) 1. Isla Curphey 2. Lucy Calladine 3. Laura Keates 4. Abby Duguid 5. Becky Boyd 6. Kendall Waudby 7. Ellie Roberts 8. Daisy Hibbert-Jones ©
Replacements
16. Katherine Baverstock 17. Amelia Williams 18. Tiwaah Adjei-Ansere 19. Keevy Fitzpatrick 20. Issy Winter 21. Lucy Weaver 22. Freya MacColl 23. Freya Greensmith
Bristol Bears Women: 46
TRIES: 8 Reneeqa Bonner (4’, 6’ 8’) Millie David (13’ 48’ 50’) Jess Sprague (19’) Amy Coles (70’)
CONVERSIONS: 3 Amber Reed (6’ 13’ 50’)
PENALTIES: 0
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 0
RED CARDS: 0
15. Ella Lovibond 14. Reneeqa Bonner 13. Jenna De Vera 12. Megan Web 11. Millie David 10. Amber Reed © 9. Lucy Burgess 1. Simi Pam 2. Jess Sprague 3. Ellie Marston- Mulhearn 4. Hollie Cunningham 5. Delaney Burns (VC) 6. Gabriella Nigrelli 7. Jenny Herring 8. Rownita Marston-Mulhearn
Replacements:
16. Heidi Pashaei-Tarighoun 17. Issy Jaques 18. Nicola Beet 19. Christiana Balogun 20. Helene Caux 21. Ellie Lewis 22. Natalee Evans 23. Amy Coles
