All the build-up, team news, live action, reaction, analysis and highlights from the European Challenge Cup quarter-final
Bristol Bears take on PRO14 side the Dragons in the quarter-final of the European Challenge Cup quarter-final at Ashton Gate.
It’s a huge game for both sides with the Dragons’ season quite literally over if they lose this weekend with the PRO14 season concluded.
Meanwhile Pat Lam has named his strongest side as he looks to build-up on going through the group stages of the competition unbeaten as he attempts to deliver Bristol their first significant trophy for 37 years since the John Player Cup in 1983.
Follow all the build-up, team news, live action, reaction, analysis and highlights from the European Challenge Cup quarter-final with regular updates below….
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According to the half time stats Bristol Bears have made 247m in attack, the Dragons have made 37m
Dragons are looking for a try to give them some hope heading into the break.
Sheedy and O’Conor combine to stop Jamie Roberts on the charge but the Bears are penalised for not rolling away.
Bristol concede a penalty and Sam Davies tries to get every inch with his kick for the corner, but he misjudges it and Charles Piutau takes the ball and sends it back long.
The scoring chance disappears as Bristol have men in front as they attempt to set the driving maul. Penalty to the Dragons.
Dragons are shelling penalties and after a powerful drive from Nathan Hughes which seems him step one and power his way through a couple of other tacklers, they are penalised for not rolling away and Sheedy kicks long for the corner.
Sheedy attempts a long-range penalty but he misses just to the left of the uprights from all of 45m out.
Charles Piutau can’t take the high kick from Jordan Williams and the visitors have a scrum 40m from the line.
Jamie Roberts bashes it up as the ball comes out the back of the scrum, Sheedy stops him with a passive tackle but the visitors get isolated a couple of phases later and are penalised for not releasing.
Callum Sheedy lands his first penalty kick of the night as Dragons lose their shape. They try and take a quick line out but it puts Sam Davies under pressure, he throws a dummy and is wrapped up by the black shirts who win the penalty for not releasing.
Harry Thacker makes a break down the wing, he gives the pass to Andy Uren who gets tackled from behind.
The ball is kept alive and put through the hands, Semi Radradra breaks the line and get away an outrageous out of the back of the hand offload to Ben Earl who races onto the ball and then steps Dragons full back Jordan Williams with a step Charles Piutau would have been proud of.
The Dragons’ aggressive defence just overdoes it and they go too soon and are penalised for offside allowing Sheedy to kick into the Welsh side’s half.
That is much more like it. Luke Morahan breaks through the middle, he is tackled but gets the ball away.
Henry Purdy takes the ball on then the ball comes back through the hands and there are plenty of Bears men lined up to score on the overlap.
Kyle Sinckler knocks a very catchable ball on but we come back for a high tackle from the Dragons and Sheedy can kick the Bears deep into enemy territory.
Bristol’s passing is really letting them down. They have knocked the ball on five times already tonight.
That is going in the highlights reel of Ashton Hewitt, he takes a great cross-field kick from Sam Davies and then steps and fends off Charles Piutau to be able to race in.
