Newcastle were handed a severe mauling by Bristol in their Zurich
Premiership match at the Memorial Ground.
The Falcons, missing the likes of Steve Brotherstone and Stuart Grimes in the
pack and Jonny Wilkinson behind the scrum because of injuries and international
duty, were under pressure from the start and were shoved off their own ball at
the first scrum.
It set the pattern for the game with Bristol rattling up 31 first-half points
with five tries, two of them from Phil Christophers.
The rout started when Richard Arnold was caught on his own 22 after Newcastle
were subjected to a fearsome going-over at the scrum. Bristol turned the ball
over and Felipe Contepomi's delightful chip through was finished off by a diving
Andy Higgins.
Earl Va'a, in for Wilkinson at fly-half, kicked a ninth-minute penalty but
Bristol roared back to cut Newcastle's defence to ribbons and Christophers shot
through for their second try in five minutes and Contepomi converted.
The Falcons defence was shattered again when Contepomi cruised through from a
five-metre scrum and the Argentinian converted his own try for 19-3 at a point-a
-minute in a devastating opening spell.
Hall Charlton then lost the ball on his own 10-metre line and Bristol swept it
wide for Brendon Daniel shrugged off Tom May's ineffectual tackle to score
Bristol's fourth and earn them a bonus point before even half-an-hour of the
game had been played.
Va'a, who arrived only last Monday on a short-term contract, lasted just 34
minutes before limping off with what looked like a pulled hamstring and Phil
Godman took his place. It didn't get any better for the Falcons as Arnold was
forced off with a knee injury to be replaced by Phil Dowson in the back row.
Hugh Vyvyan gave the Falcons a glimmer of hope when he broke clear on the 10m
line but the big number eight slipped as he tried to step around Lee Best and
the ball went forward as the support arrived.
And when Contempomi broke through the middle again and moved it wide,
Christophers slid in for this second try and Contepomi converted from out wide.
Newcastle bought on Epi Taione in the back row in an attempt to beef up their
pack but they were rocked by another injury when they lost hooker Matt Thompson
with a shoulder problem, replaced by Nick Makin came on.
Agustin Pichot's speed of pass in three phases of rolling attacks ended with a
wriggling run for Higgins to score his second try.
Newcastle finally got a try on the board when Taione was twice involved in a
move which saw the big Tongan forced his way over and Liam Botham converted.
But they were the only two highlights of a low-key second half in which both
sides made a myriad of substitutions and Bristol appeared to settle for the six
tries they already had on the board inside the hour.
Teams
Bristol: E. Bergamaschi, Johnstone, Crompton, Archer, A. Brown,
Salter, Short, Oakley, Pichot, Contepomi, Christophers, Gibson,
Higgins, Daniel, Best.
Not Used: Skuse, S. Morgan, Nelson, C. Morgan, Richards, Shaw,
Drahm.
Tries: Higgins 2, Christophers 2, Contepomi, Daniel.
Cons: Contepomi 4.
Newcastle: Peel, Thompson, Hurter,
Hamilton, Springgay, Dunbar,
Arnold, Vyvyan, Charlton, Va'a, Stephenson, May, Noon, Botham,
M. Wilkinson.
Not Used: Grindal, Godman, Ward, Makin, Otuvaka, Dowson, Taione.
Tries: Taione.
Cons: Botham.
Pens: Va'a.
Att: 5,000
Ref: Tony Spreadbury (RFU).
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