'B+' - Bristol Bears' midseason report card with key areas of improvement to kick on
As we take a pause in the Premiership for the final Champions Cup group games, it feels like a good time to present a mid-term report. As such I have decided to grade the whole season to date as a ‘B+’ for the following reasons…
The men are in second place in the Premiership table which is much better than most rugby writers predicted BUT teams are lining up behind us, SO we need to keep the faith, back the boys and really, really try to make Ashton Gate a fortress!
The re-booting of the ‘Bears way’ has made us all fall in love with rugby again BUT it needs to keep evolving to avoid getting smothered by physical outfits like Sale, SO I’d like to see us tweak the game plan, score ugly from time to time, and maybe kick just a tiny bit more.
There have been some great individual performances from both teams including the likes of Gabs Ibitoye, AJ MacGinty, and Millie David to name a few, BUT the continued spectre of injuries are always a cause for concern, SO we need to back our wider squad players who step up, have faith that we will get everyone fit, and hope that this will sweep both teams to play-off finals.
Ilona Maher’s signing has put Womens’ rugby in general, and Bristol in particular, onto the global social media map BUT the Bears Women have really got their work cut out to make the semi final with only four games to go, SO our international-laden pack needs to win the collisions, secure quick ball and provide a solid platform for the backs to score.
The fan experience at Ashton Gate has improved massively BUT there are still too many people walking up the wrong isles, the half time beer queues remain long, and the jury is still out on Simba cam, SO the powers that be need to keep reading the fan surveys, digest the feedback and make the necessary tweaks where necessary.
Finally, Bears Beyond The Gate has been nominated again for best rugby podcast in the annual Sports Podcast Awards BUT voting closes today and we’re up against yet more corporate beasts, SO please click the link below, cast your vote and help us win some silverware!
Listen to the latest episode on all major platforms and vote for the pod by clicking here.
