Bristol Bears getting Leinster at the perfect time - Goode

Leinster might be the most daunting prospect in European rugby but for Bristol Bears, they head to Ashton Gate at the best possible time according to two-time Investec Champions Cup winner Andy Goode.

Andy Goode will be part of the Premier Sports team bringing every game live from the Investec Champions Cup with all the action from Ashton Gate kicking off at 5.30pm this Sunday.

Pat Lam’s Bears side are flying high in the Premiership, equalling a new record for most consecutive away victories with last Friday’s win at Harlequins.

That 48-24 success was their 11th in a row in the league, setting them up for Sunday’s clash with Leinster brimming with confidence.

The Irish side have reached the last three finals of the competition, losing all three, but with their Ireland contingent playing their first match since the Autumn Nations Series, Goode believes the timing is perfect for Bristol.

“Bristol play the Bristol way, not every team can play that way but it’s something that Pat Lam and Sean Marsden, the attack coach, have tried to hone over the last few years,” said Goode, who will be part of Premier Sports’ punditry team.

“Some of the threats they have got, the talent in the backline, they can certainly put any team under pressure. The big thing is when you are playing a team like Leinster, and this is where Bristol may have a slight advantage, is that many of those Ireland boys have been away for four weeks with Ireland and were the only international team to play last week.

“It will be really interesting to see how Leo Cullen and Jacques Nienaber integrate all those players back in.

“Bristol had a really good performance against Quins, attacking from everywhere. AJ MacGinty, with his Irish connection, he’s been pulling the strings beautifully. Then the threats he’s got around him, (Gabriel) Ibitoye on the wing has been absolute stardust for Bristol this year, (Benhard Janse) Van Rensburg is a world-class operator and they have got threats in the pack, Bill Mata, they have explosive runners. They play a unique way which will stress teams out completely at various times in the game.”

Leinster have come desperately close to winning each of the last three finals, losing to late tries two years running to La Rochelle, before Toulouse beat them in extra-time in last year’s final.

And with former Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber running their defence and All Blacks superstar Jordie Barrett potentially in line for a debut, Goode has no doubt they will have a plan for slowing down Bristol.

He added: “Leinster will understand how they play and load the front line and Bristol have to try to find a balance, but it might be a great time to catch Leinster.

“I’ll probably have to eat my words because of their pedigree, but they won’t have played together for five or six weeks in a blue jersey. They have got talent, Jordie Barrett is coming in, he’s a world-class operator but he hasn’t pulled on a Leinster jersey yet.

“His training time won’t have been huge, so fitting into defensive structures and running attacking plays. I’ve no doubt that if he does start, he’ll rock up and put in a performance, but there are little chinks for Bristol to go after and the unknowns of how they will react together.”

Goode will be part of a 37-strong team delivering the Champions and Challenge Cup for Premier Sports, the new broadcasters of the premier European competitions, which celebrate their 30th anniversary.

And the former Leicester Tigers great believes that fans are in for a treat with the new broadcasting offering.

He added: “The 30th year, what better time to have a new broadcast partner across the UK and Ireland in Premier Sports. It’s an exciting TV talent line-up, it’s guys I know well and it’s going to be done in a way where we’re going to have fun, we’ll say what we see and have an opinion, let’s not sit on the fence. Let’s dramatize the competition and create storylines and talking points that everyone wants to get involved with. I’m massively looking forward to it.”

Rugby on another level - Premier Sports is the new home of Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup with 80 games live throughout the competition. Premier Sports is available in the UK from £10.99 a month and is available on Sky, Virgin and Amazon Prime. Premier Sports also streams online via dedicated apps on a wide range of devices and platforms. Visit: www.premiersports.tv to sign-up.