Bears rack up 107 points in routing Enisei en route to quarter-finals
Bristol Bears stormed into the last eight of the European Challenge Cup as Andy Uren’s five-try display inspired a 107-19 demolition of Enisei on Saturday.
The Bears crossed the whitewash a remarkable 17 times, matching the tally of Northampton Saints, who had romped to a 111-3 success over Timisoara Saracens just a day previously.
Uren was responsible for five of those scores, while Ryan Edwards claimed a hat-trick as the home side ran riot at Ashton Gate to secure qualification to the quarter-finals as runners-up in Pool 4.
The Bears will have to go on the road in the knockout phase, having booked a date with familiar foes La Rochelle, who secured top spot in the group thanks to a 22-10 win at Zebre.
Welcome to the club.
UP THE BEARS! pic.twitter.com/AnihmxWYiH
— Bristol Bears (@BristolBears) January 19, 2019
Joining La Rochelle and Clermont Auvergne in hosting quarter-finals will be Sale Sharks and Worcester Warriors, who both celebrated victory on Saturday.
Worcester mounted a sensational late comeback at home to Stade Francais, recovering from 28-14 down at half-time to run out 36-31 victors and set up a home meeting with Harlequins in the last eight.
The Warriors were still trailing by nine points with seven minutes remaining when Ollie Lawrence got them back to within two, only for Nicolas Sanchez’s penalty – Stade’s sole points of the second period – to stretch the lead again.
With two minutes remaining Tom Howe crossed for the Warriors but Chris Pennell’s missed conversion meant the scores stayed level until, with the clock having ticked beyond the 80, Dean Hammond capped a memorable fightback with the decisive score.
Ok you can all look now!
Not sure we can take much more of this.#SixwaysDrama pic.twitter.com/JVaDZRwasc
— Worcester Warriors ⚔️ (@WorcsWarriors) January 19, 2019
Sale, meanwhile, were more comfortable in seeing off Perpignan 39-10 at AJ Bell Stadium, Chris Ashton scoring the first of their five tries after the away side had taken an early lead via Jean-Bernard Pujol.
The Sharks qualify as Pool 3 winners courtesy of their superior head-to-head record against Connacht, whose 33-27 victory at Bordeaux Begles was enough to see them advance as the sixth seed and set up a quarter-final reunion at Sale.
Saturday’s other match saw Pau defeat Ospreys 26-21 in Pool 2.
Challenge Cup quarter-finals:
Clermont Auvergne v Northampton Saints
La Rochelle v Bristol Bears
Sale Sharks v Connacht
Worcester Warriors v Harlequins
KEO.co.za News wire is powered by opta