Connacht Rugby v Bristol Bears LIVE play-by-play updates from the ...
All the build-up, team news, live play-by-play match updates, reaction, analysis, stats and highlights from The Sportsground
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It's game day.
Bristol Bears head to Pat Lam's old stomping ground on Friday night as the English side face Connacht Rugby in the final pool stage game of the 2023/24 Investec Champions Cup.
Bristol sit in fourth place in Pool One with five match points, which is good enough to see them qualify for the round of 16, but they will likely need a bonus point win away in Ireland to secure their place in the knockout rounds with fifth place Saracens also on five points ahead of taking on Lyon at the StoneX Stadium on Saturday night.
The game kicks off at 8pm on Friday night
Follow all the build-up, team news, live play-by-play match updates, reaction, stats, analysis and highlights from The Sportsground with regular updates below...
TRY - Connacht - 24-321:20
22:07John Evely
22:06John Evely
22:04John Evely
TNT Sport have handed the gone to Connacht winger Andrew Smith.
Personally I would have given it to Connacht outside centre David Hawkshaw who was outstanding on both sides of the ball, particularly in defence.
22:03John Evely
Reaction to come....
22:02KEY EVENT
A humbling night for the Bears who had the odds stacked against them after Josh Caulfield was red carded in the 13th minute.
Still Bristol had plenty of chances to score which they blew.
Another highly disappointing display from the Bears.
27-10
80+1 minsKEY EVENT
A final shot from Bristol
Can the Bears get something to cheer about.
AJ MacGinty kicks s penalty to the corner and Connacht are penalised for sacking the tyr-line maul to concede a penalty try.
Joe Joyce is also shown a yellow card for his part bringing it down.
27-10
78 minKEY EVENT
Connacht blindside flanker Cian Prendergast has been dominant in defence today at the break down and he wins another turnover penalty for jackaling over Max Lahiif.
Connacht point for the posts and Jack Carty knocks over three points from the tee from a central position and about 25m out.
27-3
75 minsJohn Evely
Gabriel Ibitoye makes a trademark break, stepping his way through traffic, but then Joe Batley throws a loose pass to no one as he steps in at scrum half which sees all the territory just made lost.
That sums up the night really.
24-3
72 minsJohn Evely
Bristol look to spread the ball wide through AJ MacGinty but the fly-half's looping pass is picked off by Jack Carty who hacks the ball on and sparks a foot race.
Gabriel Ibitoye wins it, but then gets caught trying to step his way out of trouble 70m down the pitch.
24-3
70 minsJohn Evely
Bristol win a penalty at a close range lineout and quick tap through Kieran Marmion but the scrum half is stopped short by Joe Joyce.
The attack continues and Kyle Sinckler picks and drives for the line from close range but he is stripped of possession by hooker Dave Heffernan as he reaches out for the try line.
Another spectacular defensive stand by the hosts.
24-3
64 minsJohn Evely
Joe Joyce is penalised for slipping his bind defending a Bristol maul and AJ MacGinty is able to kick to the corner.
But the hosts have stopped the Bears catch and drive game again, this time splintering the maul and then wrapping up the ball to earn a put in at the 5m scrum.
Outstanding defence by Connacht but another red zone visit from the English side with no points to show for it.
24-3
59 minsJohn Evely
One of Bristol's biggest runers Magnus Bradbury gets smashed backwards by replacement lock Oisín Dowling to force a knock on.
Another statement of intensity from Connacht.
24-3
58 minsKEY EVENT
A moment of absolute magic from Kalaveti Ravouvou who runs onto a grubber kick through from Benhard Janse van Rensburg, hacks it on, gathers and steps his way beyond two attempted tackles and the drags two Connacht players over the tryline with him, but unbelievable scramble defence from David Hawkshaw dislodges the ball as the Bristol winger tries to dot the ball down.
That is another great try denied.
24-3
55 minsJohn Evely
Gabriel Ibitoye gambles with an overlap on and manages to block the passing lane as Connacht try to move the pill wide.
Bristol skipper Fitz Harding does his best Ben Earl impression and he claps and whoops to try and get a response from his under the pump side.
24-3
52 minsJohn Evely
Bristol scrum hafl Harry Randall is off, with former Connacht man Kieran Marmion given a chance to try and wrestle control of this one.
24-3
50 minsJohn Evely
Joe Batley is released down the wing for the Bears and the athletic lock links up with AJ MacGinty, but again the bright play by Bristol is ended with a turnover on the floor after the fly-half got isolated.
24-3
47 mins KEY EVENT
That finally is the bonus point score from Connacht.
A long miss pass from Jack Carty floats into the path of winger Andrew Smith who this time has enough space to jet in and touch down in the corner having been denied a spectacular effort moments earlier.
Carty adds the difficult wide right conversion.
24-3
45 minsJohn Evely
Kalaveti Ravouvou in defence for the Bears is one on one with big winger Shayne Bolton as Connacht whip the ball wide quickly, but the Fijian forces a knock-on from his opposite number close to the line.
We come back for another scrrum.
17-3
43 minsKEY EVENT
Connacht are denied a great bonus point try.
Attacking from the scrum 10m, having pushed Bristol backwards to win a penalty advantage, the ball is worked through the hands to winger Andrew Smith who dives superman style to touch down in the corner with Max Malins and Benhard Janse van Rensburg trying to drive the Connacht man into touch.
It looks like might have done it, but a long TMO check spots Smith's heel touched the line before he grounded the ball.
That is a borderline decision in Bristol's favour.
Connacht come back for another central scrum.
17-3
21:11John Evely
Bristol Bears start the first half how they played in most of the first 40 minutes, knocking on from an unforced error from Magnus Bradbury.
Scrum to Connacht 10m out.
17-3
21:10John Evely
Pierre Baptiste Nuchy is on for referee Pierre Brousset who has pulled his calf.
17-3
20:59John Evely
20:58John Evely
20:58John Evely
20:57John Evely
20:56KEY EVENT
The Bears appear to be on the verge of being dumped out of the Champions Cup after lock Josh Caulfield was shown a red card after 13 minutes of an accidental stamp to the head of Finlay Bealham.
If 14-man Bristol come back from this it will be one of the greatest European performances in their history.
17-3
39 minsJohn Evely
Connacht hooker Tadgh McElroy concedes a penalty at the scrum and AJ MacGinty kicks deep into the hosts' 22.
But Connacht get up at the front posts to steal the ball at the linepout out of the grips of Steven Luatua.
Another prime scoring chance blown by the Bears.
17-3
37 minsJohn Evely
AJ MacGinty challenges the Connacht defensive line and offloads to Fitz Harding who bursts through the line and then links up with Harry Randall who looks favourite to score - because he is fast - but David Hawkshaw shows outstanding pace to cut down the former England international number nine short of the line.
Connacht then pile in to turn the ball over.
Randall has also hurt his ankle by the look of things.
Nightmare stuff for the Premiership side.
17-3
33 minsKEY EVENT
Oh dear Bristol fans.
Attacking from a catch and drive from a close range lineout, Connacht draw a penalty as the Bears illegally drag down the maul.
But scrum half Caolin Blade takes things into his own hands and snipes down the blindside to score.
Jack Carty misses the wide left conversion with his kick going across the face of the sticks.
17-3
31 minsKEY EVENT
AJ MacGinty, on his old turf, judges the wind to dissect the posts from right in front of the sticks but 30m out.
12-3