Bristol Bears (33) 61
Try: Genge, B Grondona, Marmion, Ravouvou, Oghre, Janse van Rensburg, Batley, Boshoff, S Grondona Cons: Jordan 8
Paul (0) 12
Try: Brau-Boirie 2 Scam: Mondinat
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Bristol Bears made it two wins from two in the Champions Cup group stage, scoring nine tries in a comfortable home win against French club Pau.
Bristol narrowly beat Scarlets in their first match, but this was a much more comfortable outing for the Bears.
They scored five tries in a dominant first half, the first of them from England prop Ellis Genge inside the first minute.
Ben Grondona crossed himself before setting up Kieran Marmion for Bristol’s third, Kalaveti Ravouvou bagged a try bonus point after being fed by Benhard Janse van Rensburg and Gabriel Oghre went off a catch-and-drive from the line-out just before the interval.
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Janse van Rensburg, who will be eligible for the England squad in November 2026, showed excellent handling to receive Marmion’s kick and take Bristol’s lead to 40 points at the start of the second period.
The other scores in their emphatic victory came from Joe Batley, Aidan Boshoff and Santiago Grondona, while Tom Jordan scored eight of his nine conversion attempts.
The victory puts Bristol third in Group Four with nine points from two games, one point behind last season’s two Champions Cup finalists – Northampton Saints and defending champions Bordeaux Begles.
Pau, the surprise in France’s Top 14 this season, was not in top form at Ashton Gate and is bottom of the group after defeats to Northampton and Bristol.
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Young center Fabien Brau-Boirie crossed for both of his attempts in a losing cause.
Louis Rees-Zammit had been named Bristol’s starting full-back when the teams were announced on Friday.
However, Bears director of rugby Pat Lam said before kick-off that the Wales international had been excluded as a precaution after feeling tightness in his calf during a training session.
‘We show a little of everything’
Bristol blocks Joe Batley, speaking to Premier Sports:
“To score so many tries and also the quality of the tries – being a striker, I really enjoyed the maul try before half-time – we showed a little bit of everything we can do as a team. We can go from 80 (metres) or we can go from five metres.
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“I’m very happy to have kept the intensity high, especially being so far ahead at half-time.
“I’m gutted to have let them in a couple of times, but we can’t fault the fight. It was very positive.”
What’s next?
Bristol, fifth in the Prem, will return to league action against Harlequins on Saturday 20 December (18:00 GMT).
Next up in the Champions Cup is a trip to South Africa to face the Bulls on January 10, 2026, and the Bears will close out the group stage with a home game against Bordeaux eight days later.
lineups
Bristol board: Elizalde; Ravouvou, Janse van Rensburg, Williams, Boshoff; Jordan, Marmion; Genge, Oghre, Chawatama, Rubiolo, Batley, Owen, B Grondona, Harding.
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Replacements: Thacker, Woolmore, Halliwell, S Grondona, Ivanishvili, Wolstenholme, Worsley, Carrington.
Paul: Luke; Grandidier Nkanang, Brau-Boirie, Valentino, Carol; Mondinat, Robson; Bibi Biziwu, Rey, Tokolahi, Jolmes, Capelli, Kpoku, Paul, Tuipulotu.
Replacements: Delhommel, Seneca, Zabala Arrieta, Picquette, Credoz, Souverbie, Decron, Hewat.
match officials
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland) and Padraic Reidy (Ireland)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)