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October 5, 2025 63 mins

The five key takeaways from the pod this week after a few cheeky beers and bit of rugby banter…

1. Bears suffered an "absolute shellacking," losing 50-17 after falling 31-0 down by halftime, though the lads accept that Saracens' performance was "outstanding" and they probably would have beaten any team in the league it was that good.

2. The Bears just couldn’t convert any of pressure that they did create struggling with red zone efficiency and only scoring only 17 points from 12 entries into the 22 despite having 62% possession and 57% territory overall. Was it case of Sarries been too good or Bears making too many mistakes? As always, it was probably a ‘bit of both’ erring on the side of Sarries being too good.

3. The defeat highlighted the risk of starting the season with the smallest squad in the premiership, and this has unfortunately been exposed by an unprecedented number of early-season injuries to key players in key positions. The medical boys have definitely got their work cut out.

4. A massive positive, however, was the team's second-half resilience exemplified by Kieran Marmion’s standout performance. He was the best Bears player on the pitch and scored a quality hat-trick.

5. We need a "bounce back" performance against Exeter Chiefs, with the lads highlighting the return of key personnel, including Fitz Harding and Ellis Genge, Santi Grindona, Pedro Rubiolio and Benjamin Elizadlde to reinforce the squad.

Let us know what you think!

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:05):
You're listening to episode 204 of Bears Beyond the
Gate, a Bristol rugby podcastmade by fans both fans with
three friends who love the club,the game and all things bears.
This week we will review theabsolute shlacking that was
meted out to us at the Stone Xyesterday.
We've never won there, and to behonest, it feels like we never
will.
Saracen's put us to the swordright and proper, and worse

(00:27):
still, three more big playershold off injured.
That said, there was a secondhalf comeback of sorts with a
hat-trick for the lively andevergreen Kiramarmian, but a try
bonus point went begging at thedeath.
We will still search forpositives if we can and look
forward to Saturday when we takeon Extra Chiefs and the return
of ex-assistant coach DaveWalder.
I'm Pete and I'm joined by Leeand Miles for a cheeky beer and

(00:50):
a bit of rugby back banter backat the Bristol Beer Factory Tat
Room.
Well boys, obviously lastweekend, because of the
logistics of the game, we uh wewere actually entertained at
Ashton Gate in the media pressconference room, and then I
noticed in the week Pat wassitting in our seat.
Was he?

SPEAKER_03 (01:07):
It's disgusting, really, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02 (01:09):
But he needs to know his place, really, that match.
Yeah.
But also the other thing is Ithink Lewis got his nose put out
of joint a little bit.
He thought that we might notever come back here.
And uh I had to come back in theweek and have a little sit-down
with Lewis and say, mate, it wasit was nothing to do with you.

SPEAKER_04 (01:22):
Did you give that teacher reassurance?

SPEAKER_02 (01:24):
I did.
We had a little chat, it's aone-to-one.
Yeah, good.
Yeah, and uh I said, you know,mate, it was just it was too
difficult.
We didn't want to put you underpressure, we recognise that it's
a difficult time with a rugbymatch on, so it but we we we're
always with you.
You're our boy.

SPEAKER_03 (01:39):
Well, on that note, we should say we're enjoying
some really nice beers.
I mean, some of the beers thatare coming out of Bristol Beer
Factory at the moment areamazing.
And if you've not tried ViennaFlight, then you'd you've
there's something wrong.
You need to be getting onto thatstuff.
And as we speak, Mr.
Lewis is uh is entering thebuilding now.

(02:00):
Chaps, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (02:01):
Well, you can say something.
We were actually recording, butwe just picked you up.
We said that you your nose wasput out of joint a little bit
when we banged on about doing atAshton Gate last Sunday in the
media room.
But but you know, we wanted toreassure you and our listeners
and all those Bristol beerfactory fans out there that this
is our spiritual home and italways will be, and it's our

(02:24):
real home.

SPEAKER_03 (02:24):
I mean, you seem a lot more relaxed here, but
there's a sense of yourshoulder.

SPEAKER_02 (02:30):
Well, that's partly because Ashton Gate didn't give
us any beers.
We had to take our own.

SPEAKER_04 (02:34):
Well, well, I heard that you stole some.
No, what we took our own.
No, I bought I bought no, Ibought a sort of uh Vienna
flight each.
I loved I love the fact thatLewis is actually looking at me
as he's saying you stole thebeer.
So it was not guilty, Lewis, notguilty.
There was a le legal transactiontook place, and I treated this

(02:55):
to a can of fine Vienna flight.
Did you differ?
Of course, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (03:00):
With his own money as well, yeah, absolutely.
Anyway, I think we digress,boys, don't we?
I do digress.

SPEAKER_00 (03:05):
I've jumped in, I didn't realise you were.

SPEAKER_02 (03:07):
It's all good, mate.
It's all good.
You will feel it will sound alittle bit echoey, but I think
this is what the listeners like.
They like authenticity, and uhoff he goes, off he goes.
Anyway, boys, um, I've lost mytrain of thought.
Yeah, yeah, so we're back at theBristol Beer Factory Tat room.
Um, so just to set a bit ofcontext for this game, I
actually went to the game.

(03:27):
Uh just thought it'd be quitefunny.
Someone had to.
Someone had to.
Um, I went to the game, so I wasI was there watching it live,
and and I know you boys werewere sat watching on telly and
real time because I could seeheat coming out of my WhatsApp
group.
Um so I think before we get intoit, um I think we'll what we'll

(03:48):
do like we do sometimes is wewe'll we'll go through a couple
of contributions we've hadalready.
Now, one of the contributionswas Dunny.
I I managed to grab Dunny afterthe game really, really quickly.
Um, just he gave me a littlesoundbite.
Um, because it's the one thing Iwould say about the Stone Axe,
it's like the stoop.
You can literally just go rightup to the side of the pitch and
the players come over and talkto you.
It's very accessible.
So Dunny very kindly gave us histhoughts and um after the game.

(04:12):
So it's only about 30 seconds,so let's listen to it now.

SPEAKER_01 (04:15):
All right, I'm here with Dunny.
Tough day at the office at theStone X.
Dunny, at least you didn't getinjured.
You're looking fit as a fiddle,but just give us your impression
on that game.

SPEAKER_00 (04:25):
Yeah, it was obviously really tough, but it
felt like had a couple ofdecisions go against us.
We lost collisions a little bitearly, and then they just got on
a bit of a roll momentum eyesand we struggled to get it back,
but a bit of promise in thesecond half.
Obviously, you could have hadthat bonus point try at the end,
which was disappointing, butyeah, it gotta be better next
week.
Got Exeter at home next weekend.

SPEAKER_01 (04:45):
You looking forward to it?

SPEAKER_00 (04:46):
Yeah, we literally just spoke in a huddle on the
pitch then we need a bounceback, so yeah, we'll see what
happens.

SPEAKER_01 (04:52):
We'll see you back in the gate next week, Dunny.
Cheers, mate.

SPEAKER_02 (04:55):
Cheers, mate, thank you very much.
So there you go.
I mean, it was an honestassessment of Dunny.

SPEAKER_03 (04:59):
Dunny's always honest.

SPEAKER_02 (05:00):
And also, I think one of the massive positives was
that you know he looked fit atthe end of the game.
He put a massive he put a bigshift in.
He came off in the second halffor Pig Stevie, but it was a
physical game, and obviously hisshoulder is is is uh is standing
up well.

SPEAKER_03 (05:13):
Yeah, he does.
I thought Dunny played well,actually.
He was he was one of the thebrighter sparks, I think, in
yesterday's book.

SPEAKER_02 (05:20):
Well I think we'll we'll talk about those in a
minute, the bright sparks.
But I think before we we go on,I I did tentatively this morning
put out a short short summaryclarion call because I thought
it'd be quite interesting to seewhat other listeners thought
about uh thought about the umthe day.
There's a little bit of laughinggoing on because Lewis has just
come in with a few more cans.

(05:41):
And he's trying to be as quietas he can.
He's trying to be as quiet as hecan.
He's done in control.

SPEAKER_00 (05:44):
This is the service you did not today as well.
Normally there's a bucket ofice.
Ah, that's fine, buddy.

SPEAKER_02 (05:49):
Hey, you've had a busy 102 covers on 102 hour
shift, he's putting in one day.
Yeah, so this is brilliant, andwe can we're all forever
raising.

SPEAKER_03 (05:58):
There's no ice, I like you know, I'm not gonna.

SPEAKER_02 (05:59):
Don't matter.

SPEAKER_03 (06:00):
Don't worry about that.
Mate, we've got we've got we'vegot ring pulls.
That's all we need.
Thank you, Lewis.

unknown (06:06):
No worries.

SPEAKER_02 (06:08):
So I thought I did put a clarion call out for a few
listeners.
I I thought uh people like to Idon't think it's not just
listening to the pod that Ithink a lot of listeners know.
They actually like the fact thatthere's a kind of Bears Beyond
the Gate feed that they can alsowrite to and know that other
people um and it is mainly um Xor Twitter.
Sorry, it is mainly Twitter.

(06:29):
Um, our Instagram is very niche,but uh here we go.
So let's let's get a few.
I'll I'll just read through afew really quickly.
Um, Matt Matt Morgan Bears.
Bear, he said one game doesn'tdefine our season.
Bad day at the office, not manyteams will win at Saris this
season.
Time to regroup and put it rightagainst the Chiefs.
I thought I'd start with apositive one.
Yeah, um, Steve Smith,Erstwhile.

(06:52):
He did two emojis, and I'm surehe won't mind me saying that one
emoji was a dog and the otherone was a little brown thing
with two eyes.

SPEAKER_04 (07:00):
I mean, we have kids that listen to us, so uh is you
had emoji with a dog and a brownthing.

SPEAKER_02 (07:04):
Yeah, so a dog and a brown thing, I think we could
work that out, and uh that wasvery short and sharp.
So cheers, Steve.
Um huge Swede, huge Swede hascome in, and he came in with um
a kind of well, it was a soulfulpoem, really, but it was only
four four words.
It was Saracen Storm BearsBenign.
Oof soulful and alliterative.

SPEAKER_03 (07:27):
I do want to meet Huge Swede because I just have
this.
If he's got a big head, yeah.
I just I just have this visionof walking in and the guy's
head's like three times the sizeof normal.

SPEAKER_04 (07:37):
Huge it's the most unpopular vegetable in the
casserole.
So I'd like I do I I agree.

SPEAKER_02 (07:41):
I would like to I am assuming that the Swede is a
reference to the size of hishead.
It's gotta be, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 (07:48):
It's huge.
Uh we need to see you, mate.

SPEAKER_02 (07:51):
Unless he literally is a walking Swede.
I mean that'd be weird, wouldn'tit?
Maybe he's from Sweden.
How does he text?

SPEAKER_03 (07:58):
I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 (08:00):
Anyway, let's move on.
Nick Spragg, he said we needmore positivity.
We go to certain grounds likethe Stonex or Salford thinking
we're gonna lose and letourselves get so far behind
after 50 minutes there's nocoming back.
We need to use our heads more.
Some of this stuff I think we'llcome back to, boys.

SPEAKER_03 (08:15):
Yeah, well, I'm gonna definitely mention pick up
on that Nick's point.

SPEAKER_02 (08:18):
Brisley or Briz at Brisley.
Um, he said positive attitudefrom the top is needed, a lot of
negativity, and that reflectedin the performance.
Too many silly pens.
When the ref's telling you toleave it and he's right next to
you and you still don't listen,that's pure stupidity.
We score decent tries, but poordefence.
Brizzle Nick, Nick Howe, bigfan, big fan of the pod.
Hero listener.

(08:39):
Didn't win the shirt though.
Come back to that later.
Um Nick was quite positive.
Well, pragmatic.
He said, write it off.
And he always is.
Write it off.
Bad day at the office.
Chiefs at home is a wholedifferent game.
Brackets, but not easy giventheir record at Ashton Gate.
Crank up the positivity and bigup those who are wearing the
shirts rather than those whoaren't.
Is it too soon for a must-wingame?

(09:02):
Don't think so.
Oh, Anthony Baxter, cycle fan,he was very too small a squad.
Stupid to think you can get awaywith it.
Just fed up with it already.

SPEAKER_03 (09:12):
But I would I would also say he's very pragmatic as
well.
So he felt fed up, everyone'sopinions.

SPEAKER_02 (09:20):
Sunday morning, he's got up and he's feeling fed up.
And I like him.
I don't blame him.

SPEAKER_03 (09:24):
That was pre-bike ride, I too.

SPEAKER_02 (09:26):
We had mist Mr.
Knight.
I'm not sure we've had much fromMr.
Knight.
It says at Mr.
Knight PE, so his P teacher, notthe Dark Knight, he's a P
teacher.
He said, uh Pat told the publicour odds on top four had
lengthened after one game, andthat was something he said in
the week to John Eavely.
Demotivating the squad of whichis small and slightly and
tightly knit is perhaps not agood idea.

(09:47):
We replaced those injuries forgame two with three
internationals, plus a Puma anda Lion to return yet.
Not quite sure what the pointhe's making there, but anyway,
it's a good point, otherwise.
Um Max at 978 Max.
Big question marking defence,was hoping some of the holes
would be patched over in thesummer.
Instead, we've opened up more,but plenty of time left.
It got me thinking ofwhack-a-mole.

(10:07):
It is a bit like whack-a-mole,isn't it?
And actually, that isn't thatthe most annoying like fair
ground game at whack-a-molewhere you're smashing it and you
can never quite win it at all.
And it feels a bit like thatsometimes, you know.
We got rid we've replacedplugged some holes and then
others appear.

SPEAKER_03 (10:23):
John Phipps running out of your plasters, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02 (10:26):
It is John Phipps, uh, BS 15 Red.
He's another hero listener.
Hero listener, very poor start,over as a contest very quickly.
Only positive is that the boyskept going to the end.
Signings need ASAP, especially afly half.
Then we had Tango Romeo, whichis at Glan.
Oh, I can't read that.
My uh I've got my glasses onnow.

(10:46):
Sounds like a copper to me.
This was a this was coming quitenew.
This was a simultaneousacrostic, like a simultaneous
equation, a simultaneousequation.
So it's it's got two parallelnext to each other.
So I'm gonna do it.
They're quite short, so youshould be able to get this.
So acrostic one.
Skillful, adventurous,resilient, rampaging, incisive,

(11:07):
elite, strong.
Saries.
Sarys.
Yeah, and then you can seewhat's coming.
The other one, the parallelacross the beginning.
It starts with bashed, erratic,awful, redundant, struggled.
Bears.
There you go.
Sorry, Joey, don't we?
I like it.
I like that.
I like it a simultaneousdoubler.
Doubler.

(11:27):
Tom the Toffee.
Um we need to take this man totest.
Come on, here he goes.
He goes, Bristol Bears Chin Up.
That's the name of his poem.
Okay, yeah, yeah.
And it goes, The Bristol Bearswent east with fire and flare,
but Saracen stripped them thenand there.
Their pants pulled down, thescoreboard cruel, a bruising day
at the rugby school.
Yet faith's not lost.

(11:48):
No, not a chance.
For Ashton Gate still roars withpride.
Tom the Tommy.
You bet yourself done at the endthere.
What happened to that lastsentence?
Literally the last word.
So we need to think of uh weneed to just and this is what
you do with teaching, youprovide feedback to improve.
So I think Lee's going toprovide some feedback.

(12:11):
It's yet faith's not lost, no,not a chance.
For Ashton Gate still roars withRomance.

SPEAKER_03 (12:18):
Romance loving that straight off the top of my
tongue.

SPEAKER_02 (12:21):
There we are.
Yeah, you never, never, wedidn't practice that at all with
Marah, did we?
But Tom Natoffey, brillianteffort for three quarters.
Nine out of ten.
Yeah.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then Music Life at FunkyHouse, which also knows Debs
from K-Town.
She's come in.
I mean, probably the mostdedicated away fan and her and
Big Jim.
But she's come back with a crossstick as well.

(12:43):
Christoph Ridley joins the Hammygang.
An arm armchair warriors, pleasetry and attend one away game.
The boys need you.
Like Saris of old, mighty effortsecond half.
I got it.
Got it?

SPEAKER_03 (12:57):
It's calm.
But I'm a bit disappointed inDeb.
Because really Pristodians, theywe like to say carm.
It should have been an R really.
Calm.
C-A-R-M.

SPEAKER_02 (13:08):
Yeah, but she has she has also put a kind of an
extra explanation after it, andshe says it's game two.
If we can stay around mid-tableuntil the injury situation
improves, uh hope actually, thenshe must have written us
something else saying, then itwill be alright.
Okay, couple more.
Um oh that was it.
It was the last one.
So well done.

(13:29):
Um really appreciate all ofthose um those discussions, and
it gives us it kind of gives usa warm-up as well.
It does and reminds us.
So we need something.
I think we need to get get stuckinto this.
So um, I mean, I called it ashellacking, and Saracens and
the word shellacking are arequite well connected.

(13:51):
Ironically, if if long-termlisteners will know that Jez
from Fezcast once came onto ourpod and said he feared they were
gonna get a shellacking atAshton Gate.
This was the first game afterthe uh semi-final loss, yeah,
and of course they then beat us.
Um so shellacking is alwayssomething we associate with
Sarri's, ironically.

(14:12):
I mean, I'm just gonna put thatout there.
If if you do concede 50 points,does that get you into the
shellacking area?
Most definitely, absolutelywithout question.
I mean, is there any mitigation?
No, I don't think so.
No, not at all.
I don't think so.
So I think we'll accept thatoverall it was a shellacking,

(14:33):
and I've got to say, and boys, Imean, you were watching it on
telly.
I was I was watching it um live,and I was sat quite in the
middle, it's kind of the middleof the sort of pitch, so I could
see everything unfolding.
And it we literally went softpenalty, soft penalty, try, soft
penalty, try, conversion,conversion.
Because I mean Owen Fowl kickedthe first conversion from the

(14:54):
touchline, and you're thinking,Oh, that's great, cheers for
that, Owen.
And then before I knew, Iliterally had only just sat
down.
It it felt we're 14-nil down.

SPEAKER_03 (15:01):
Well, when you talk about things unfolding, I think
we folded like an omelette or aor a deck chair, to be honest.

SPEAKER_02 (15:09):
Do you have you have to fold an omelet though, don't
you?
So the deck chair just foldedunder its under its own weight,
wouldn't it?
Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 (15:14):
And it felt like maybe you get you get what I'm
talking about.

SPEAKER_02 (15:17):
I think both of them work actually, because Saracens
was like the flipper thatflipped the omelet over.
We were the omelette and gotflipped by Saracen's, or we were
the deck chair and the weight ofSaracens on top of us.
Yeah, so it works both.
I love the deck chair and thatthat many injuries occur from
deck chair scenarios, and as didhappen, I mean whilst we're at
it, I mean, to be honest, from14-nil down, and I you know,

(15:38):
this is being honest from what Icould see, we did look a little
bit all over the place.
Um I mean, I think the playerswere pretty shell-shocked by the
shellacking because so, in someways, we were trying to
rearrange the deck chairs, andit was it was quite windy, and
it was quite hard to get them inline.
And you know, we I I felt asthough that it wasn't just the
14 points that were difficult,it was it was like kind of what

(16:01):
it created in our kind ofmindset and confidence.
It was uh it's very difficult,it was.

SPEAKER_03 (16:06):
Well, we're gonna we we will dissect the the whole
game anyway, won't we, now butone thing I will say, and this
isn't this isn't I'll be honest,I think Sarri's the way they
played yesterday, they wouldhave beaten any team in the
league, and I'm including Bathin that, I think.

(16:27):
I I agree that was anoutstanding performance, and I
know we are gonna get to the tothe kind of you know be in all
be all and end all of this, butultimately that performance
would have beaten any team inthe league.

SPEAKER_02 (16:44):
And and I and I mean I was there and I was I was only
I was literally like ten yardsaway from the some of the play
because it was on the touchlane.
When Van Zill just popped upabout four drop four box kits, I
I just you just knew it theywere all contestable, they we
they all knew what they weredoing, and we I don't think we
won one of them, and they it wasand it was just it was a

(17:06):
tactical masterclass.
The other thing was clearlyquite obvious, they absolutely
targeted our big players.
Yeah, so Bill Matter was kind ofgiven the ball and he was just
smothered straight away.
There was one tackle where thatyou he got pushed back backwards
about five yards, and of course,just them that is just mentally
for the rest of the boysthinking hang on, you're our

(17:28):
one-up runner and you're goingbackwards.
What's happened there?
And then they targeted LewisReezamit.
I mean, Lewis Rezamut was prettygame, he had a lot of balls
pumped at him.
He actually took a lot ofcontact, but he did he got very
little space.
But as we saw in the secondhalf, when he did get a bit of
space, he clearly is verydestructive.
But they they were just theytheir game plan was absolutely

(17:49):
on point.

SPEAKER_03 (17:50):
Right, I'm gonna mention this now because I I
think it's better to get thisdone early.
Yeah, I did feel that Pat Lamb'stalk before the the pre the
pre-game conference was sonegative, and I'm not saying it,
I mean the the guys go out onthe pitch, that it wouldn't have

(18:11):
affected them at all becausethey go out to win, whatever.
We we know that but I just feltit was so negative that you know
Pat's kind of saying about well,our chances of finishing in the
top four have already beendepleted, and I don't want to
hear that from my coach.
I like we all know that, butit's almost like well, we don't

(18:31):
need to say it.
Uh I I thought that was a reallybad start to things.
Yeah, I don't know what you guysthink.
I I uh Miles, what do you think?

SPEAKER_04 (18:42):
Not not ideal, you're absolutely right.
I think as as as fans andviewers, you know, we we are
fully aware of the the um injurysituation, and we know that it's
gonna be an upward, uh, uphillbattle to even even get top six,
top four if if these injuriesaren't replaced or sorted by the
end of the season.
And I agree it's potentially notthe best choice of words by our

(19:05):
DOR to sort of you know tell usthat that that exact same thing,
and yeah, we know it, butpotentially I'm you know, I
don't want that reiterated byPat Lamb.
I agree.

SPEAKER_03 (19:19):
I just think we've we've we've actually chosen to
start with a smaller squad thisseason, the smallest squad in
the in the premiership, and itis unprecedented the amount of
injuries we've had or you knowin the in two games.
I know I I fully appreciatethat.
But the thing is, when you'restarting with such a small squad

(19:39):
anyway, you've got nothing tolean back on now.
So, you know, now all of asudden we're you know, Pat's
looking around trying to signplayers to to draft players in.
And are we going to be payingextra money now for these guys
because they know we've got amassive injury list and we need
players to well to step in.

SPEAKER_02 (19:57):
I I mean, I don't know.
And I mean we know we spoke toTom Taint a few weeks ago and he
said, you know, it's always abalance.
We know we have low seasonticket prices, so you know, we
we the but it's budgeting bad.
I mean, at the end of the day,we will get dispensation, you
get injury cover dispensation.
And you know, if somebody's notplaying, then they might be kind

(20:18):
of not necessarily in the boxseat in terms of the in terms of
contracts.
But yeah, boys, I mean it's i ithe only thing I would say in in
as a kind of devil's advocate isif if Pat was here to defend
himself, he might say, Well,what do you want me to say?
Do you want me to to like say,Oh, it's all gonna be fine?
Because we all knew we lostthree players being injured, so

(20:40):
you know, if he had said, Oh no,it'd be all fine, it's like no
Pat, we're going to Sarry's andwe've lost three players.
It's kind of it, I guess ityou've got to kind of get this
balance of expectation againstsort of blind optimism.

SPEAKER_03 (20:52):
No, I I get that, but but then saying chances of
us finishing in the top fouralready after one game too far.

SPEAKER_04 (20:59):
I mean, I agree.
And are we uh I mean the theworry is that on game two we
have just exposed that not paynot paying or playing to the
salary cap um is has been ourdownfall but only on two games.

SPEAKER_02 (21:15):
Yeah, but last season we weren't paying to the
salary cap, and we were likehalf a half a yeah half away
from a Prem final.
I agree.

SPEAKER_03 (21:23):
We still didn't achieve anything though, Pete.

SPEAKER_02 (21:24):
Yeah, but we almost I agree.

SPEAKER_04 (21:26):
But I grant that that an injury um you what would
you the average?
I mean I mean maybe I read somestatistics that an injury a
month potentially is on averagein a in a high contact sport
like rugby.
Yes, and this is unprecedented,absolutely unprecedented.
And I get that you know it'svery hard to get out of this
injury scenario, but it it stilldoesn't detract from our small

(21:49):
squad as potentially not soearly.

SPEAKER_02 (21:52):
But again, I go back to I I don't know why I see like
I'm just going back to likelisteners might say, Well, hang
on, you did say this to Tom,yeah.
And he did say what you youknow, if we haven't got the
money and we're not given themoney, what do you want us to
do?
Put ticket prices up, and youknow, it is a balance, and I
think we have to accept thatit's no no no no.

SPEAKER_03 (22:13):
I I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what it is,
right?
Bristol Bears fans, supporterswant us to win something, and
it's almost got to the point nowwe need to win at all costs,
full stop for me.
Okay, if if we need to to breakthe budget, we need to break the
budget, and I love I like theidealism of having a small

(22:37):
squad, a tight-knit unit, but asMiles just said, we've got so
many injuries already, and we'rewe're two games into the season,
and I'm I'm not all doom andgloom.
Don't I I don't want no, I don'twant it to come across like
that.
Players will come back, playerswill come back from injury, and
and you know, it is all aboutstaying in there until you know

(22:57):
later on the season.

SPEAKER_02 (22:58):
But I think when we talk about we talk about the
Exeter game, we can maybe talkabout that a bit more about when
we get there about you know whatwe think the team for Saturday,
because there are some yeahthings to think about in terms
of players coming back.
So, yeah, okay.
Well, I mean, let we kind ofdiverted away from the game was
absolutely fine, but that thatwas a big, clearly a big talking
point from the game.
But let's get back to the game.

(23:19):
I mean, 31 0 down, was it?

SPEAKER_04 (23:22):
Half time, yeah, yeah, absolutely it was.

SPEAKER_02 (23:24):
Um, I mean it wasn't I I was sat there and I was
thinking after 14, I wasthinking we obviously we've got
to get a foothold in this game,and obviously the forwards have
got to get we've got or we'vegot to get some sort of
ascendancy, we've got to getwe've got to spend some time in
their half, we've got to perhapsbe a bit more pragmatic, and we
did get quite a lot of time intheir half after 14-nil down,

(23:47):
but unfortunately, um we justdidn't convert anything at all.
Now, when I was watching it, Iactually think it was because
Saracen's just defended theirline unbelievably well.
No, I I agree with that, and Idon't think I'm really not sure
we could have done that muchmore.

SPEAKER_03 (24:04):
I'm gonna have to back you up on that.
I think that's that's exactlyhow I saw it.
I think Miles has probably got adifferent.

SPEAKER_04 (24:10):
No, no, no, no.
On the other side on that flipthe coin in that we had two
chances right on the try lineand we failed.
Yeah, but that's not pointing.

SPEAKER_02 (24:16):
Yeah, yeah, no.
You don't you're not you're notguaranteed to score every time a
meter or more, of course, notespecially with the rules of
holding up because you've got tobe so sure that you're gonna do
it.

SPEAKER_04 (24:25):
I absolutely agree that visits to the 22 never you
know, there's never 100%, isthere visits to the 22 and tries
to the 22?
But um, you know, Bristol'sbreakdown, you're right.
It was it Sarres looked a littlelittle bit slow, but maybe
you're absolutely right.
But Sarres were just too toogood and too fast and too

(24:45):
disciplined and just protectedit too well, and or or was it
that just Bristol were notaggressive enough, knowing that
Sarres are that good at thebreakdown?
And it and it's a balance.

SPEAKER_03 (24:57):
The eternal question to me to me, it looked like they
were equally as good in defenceas they were in attack, and and
I think sometimes you've justgot to put your hands up and say
it was massively disappointing,but but they were absolutely
clinical at both ends of thepitch.

SPEAKER_02 (25:12):
I mean I I did I did the post article and I just said
that they dominated in everyarea in terms of collisions, in
terms of being clinical, beingand just in terms of
connectedness, they wereconnected in defence, and they
were real I mean they were quiteexciting to watch.

(25:32):
They're some of their back linemoves were were were like what I
was thinking that's like how wedo it.

SPEAKER_03 (25:37):
I I looked at that Sarry's performance and and I
was thinking Sarry's bath finalstraight away.
Yeah, yeah.
I have to admit.

SPEAKER_02 (25:45):
And on that note, I know you'll know what wound me
up more than anything when I waslive, because it happened right
in front of me, was when MaxMose.
Oh no, I mean first of all, talkabout let's talk about Max Moes.
First of all, I mean, fair play,the lad's an unbelievably good
rugby player, still wearingtights, mind.
I think he was the only guy onthe pitch to wearing tights,

(26:08):
which I still think is an issue,and I know someone will say, Oh,
yeah, they've got you pitch.
But there were 30 blokes on thatpitch and the ref, and only one
of them was wearing tights.

SPEAKER_03 (26:18):
So we had two refs, didn't we?

SPEAKER_02 (26:19):
Well, we did, but um, so Max, yeah.
I mean, part of me it was atthat try scored where I mean
again, it was Tom Willis,unbelievable game.
Well, that's playing the match.
Tom Willis absolutely Tom Willisdoesn't have to make yards, it
was just that he took twotacklers and then released his
hands, popped it to Maylis, andthen I mean the the no look out
the back, and then Van Zil to itreminded me of that Blumen try

(26:43):
at um Gloucester when uh ThomasWilliams did the look the other
way one over the back of thetop.
And then I mean, the only thingthat I thought when I saw him do
the biggest splash ash splash, Ithought he might drop it, he
might drop it, and he I meanthat must bluming hurt on that
pitch.

SPEAKER_04 (26:59):
Even Ashie commended, didn't he, on
commentary?
But but it must hurt on aplastic one.

SPEAKER_03 (27:03):
I wouldn't do it on a plastic one.
I just thought it was a bit ofkicking the teeth.
I mean, we we signed him wesigned him.
He he was Did we get two gamesfrom him?
Two games two games, he wasinjured all seasons.

SPEAKER_02 (27:14):
We did score quite a lot of tries in those two games.

SPEAKER_03 (27:17):
I mean, I don't know.
It's just it's the game.

SPEAKER_04 (27:21):
It's a hard, is it a heart bitter pill to swallow,
isn't it?
I think that well yesterday.

SPEAKER_02 (27:25):
Somebody did comment on social saying, you know, he
spent we spent all our seasongetting him fit for him to play
that game.

SPEAKER_04 (27:31):
Yeah, yeah, pretty much.
That's how it feels.
But it did feel and I agree,just to come back on that.
That that that that Tom Williswas absolutely phenomenal.
I mean, he's you know, he'seasily working himself into
Steve Borthwick's and an Englandcategory, isn't he?
Absolutely brilliant.
And if he wasn't, you know,mauling, you know, dominating,
he flipping just nicks the balloff us.
He was he played that wellyesterday.

SPEAKER_02 (27:53):
Uh what was doubly because he came off for an HIA
after about and I thought he wasright in front of me, and I
thought that could be I wrotedown turning coming back.
He gave back on, he gave my goneturning point.
The only turning point was whenhe turned to come back on and
played about three times as wellwhen he got back.
No, I mean he anyway, go back toMax Malin's.

(28:14):
So 100% great, great try, butthen he did start showboating a
bit afterwards, and I'm not surethe likes of Dunny and bats
would have liked that.
And I I meant to ask Dunny, wasthere any sort of chat about
we've got to shut Max down alittle bit?
He's getting a little bit toocheeky, cocky, bit cocky, but he

(28:34):
uh you know he played well.
He played there's always othergames, isn't there?
There's always other games.
I mean, just going back to thestats, actually, um, because I
had a quick look at what.

SPEAKER_04 (28:42):
I mean right, we had more possession.

SPEAKER_02 (28:44):
Yeah.
Bizarrely.
I've got them right here, Miles.
In terms of possession, 62%against 39, and we had 57%
against yeah, 30%, I can't readit.
Then we had 57% territory, yeah,and we had 12 entries into the
22.
This is the killer stat,obviously.

(29:04):
They had 14 entries, they scored50 points, and we scored 17.
So our our red zone efficiencyobviously was the issue.
As we've said, Sarry's defendedso well as a U.

SPEAKER_04 (29:15):
Have you got the penalty count on there?
Because this is the unbelievablyit was 12 all.

SPEAKER_02 (29:19):
I know, yeah.
I couldn't believe that becauseI thought we were giving away
penalties like sweets.

SPEAKER_03 (29:23):
I've known it did feel like that watching it.

SPEAKER_02 (29:25):
But again, it shows why stats, we've had this
conversation so many times, theyare meaningless if there's no
context.
Now, it you know, we they mayhave given away 12 penalties,
but we clearly like you knowdidn't make take any advantage
of their penalties, whereas theytook advantage of ours.

SPEAKER_03 (29:40):
But that's almost like uh talking a good game
without winning a trophy, isn'tit?
That's exactly what I think.
Well that's what happened.

SPEAKER_02 (29:47):
I like that, I like the way you segued that back
again.
Very clever, mate.
Very, very clever.
I start so and then every otherstat was pretty similar clean
breaks, defended beaters,offloads, but it was that I
mean, even things like smallsuccess.
Was pretty same.
We had some more seven malls,they had four ruck success.
We had 99% ruck success.

(30:07):
But I was just thinking, what weknow, but it's not about the
success of the ruck, it's howfast it goes, and how it doesn't
tell you slowing down theopposition percentage, does it?
And I mean that's what reallymatters, doesn't it?
So again, lovely little sidewaysbar graphs, it looked be good
look good in a little project,but totally doesn't tell you

(30:28):
anything about it.
Ultimately it's meaningless,isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 (30:31):
Yeah, the result of the game.

SPEAKER_02 (30:32):
The result is everything.
Um why did we have a slow startthough?
This is a question.
Why why did we you know we knewexactly what we're going to
expect there.
We know exactly how Saracen'sare going to play.
We know that they would haveanalysed us.
Why did we not absolutely werewe just blown away too quickly?

SPEAKER_04 (30:46):
I think so.
But I feel like that that firstTheo Dan score after only two
minutes was so was such a goodtraining ground move.
I'm not sure any team would havestopped it.
They threw it short, didn'tthey, on the on on the throw-in.
Back to Theo Dan, they justlegged it over in the corner on
the pitch.
Um, I I don't think you couldhave defended that.
That's the sort of thing we willtry.

SPEAKER_02 (31:09):
To be fair, Kira Marlin did try and tackle him
and got hit.
It was a it was down againstMarmion.
And Marmion, I thought it was atextbook tackle from about three
yards out, and he just gotabsolutely marmalised.
And I mean he didn't do anythingwrong, it was just that the
power took took Dan three yardsover.
No, we couldn't do anythingabout that.
That was a classic move.
But then the thing was, afterthat, what annoyed me was he

(31:31):
then gave away another stupidpenalty straight after that,
then they got back down again.
And that's when you have tothink, boys, this is where you
say we've all got to focus 10%more.
We've got somebody's gotta sayit's 10%, boys, 10%, like
absolutely on it, and then itjust had the annoying thing when
the ref told um Gabe Zogre notup to number nine, and then he
just was after thought.

SPEAKER_04 (31:52):
That was that was that was yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (31:55):
There were some silly penalties, and yeah,
absolutely.
Yeah, so um for the we're justgonna have a little pause for a
moment because Lee needs to goto the toilet.
So we'll be back.
Is this where we need adverts,boys, don't we?
We've always said we don't wantadverts.
We're gonna have a quick advert.

SPEAKER_04 (32:12):
You know, they're like that the the young girl
with the stripes in the 80s, theintermission sort of thing on
the BBC.
What were you doing in the oh Iknow what you mean?

SPEAKER_03 (32:20):
Fellas, we should say that I did get you down here
at six o'clock.

SPEAKER_02 (32:22):
Yeah, so I'm still recording, right?
Let's stop.
So uh listeners will be pleasedto know that Lee has now
returned from the toilet andwe've now got ourselves
coordinated.
So are you ready, boys, for thesecond part of the pod.
3, 2, 1.

SPEAKER_04 (32:36):
Oh, ring balls on the ready.

SPEAKER_02 (32:40):
It's just got a spillage all over my trousers.

SPEAKER_03 (32:42):
That's what happens when you take a nick, yeah,
anyway.

SPEAKER_02 (32:44):
We've got to move on, boys.
Um, so Lee, you're you're nowfit as a fit.
I thought you were getting a bitquiet towards the end of that
first part.
So we've we've done a lot ofchat.
We've done a lot of chat.
I mean, there's lots ofdifferent opinions out there.
Some people you know are veryunhappy.
Some people are saying, look,it's it was always going to be a
difficult game, let's move on.
We've got we've got other gamesto focus on.

(33:05):
Let's talk about the second halfuntil right at the end.
We were actually winning thesecond half.
Absolutely.
A lot of people say, Yeah, yeah,yeah, but it's too little, too
late, and I get it.
But it was actually quite niceto see some sort of response.
Um, so I think we'll just focusa little bit on that, and we've
got to doff our cap.
And I know that our uh big fanfrom Connett, Iana Jakes, will

(33:28):
be very I did promise I'dmention it because he's
obviously Kira Marmion's like Ithink he's the secretary of Kira
Marmion's fan club, to behonest, because he'd already put
something on saying, Don't letme say it.
But anyway, Marmion has wasactually played really well.
I thought he was our best playerby a stretch, and this is a guy
who was on the back foot quite alot at the time, scored three
great tries.

(33:48):
He's clearly started the seasonin form, and I think that's the
one general positive we have isthat I don't think we're we're
lacking at the moment at scrumhalf.
We just don't want him to getinjured either.
So I think we need to doffer capto Marmion and to Kieran and
say, you know, well done.
And he you know, he he did a hehad a full 80.
He knew that he knew that therewas no one really.

(34:10):
I mean, Max Pepper came on, tobe fair, and and did well, but
came on you know in the wing orsomewhere.
So Jenkins' centre, wasn't he?
Yeah, Marmion's really got a heknew he had to step up, but he
didn't he didn't go intohimself, he kept playing like a
scrum art should play.

SPEAKER_03 (34:25):
Well, I I think that was the biggest positive of the
second half was the fact thatthat that we kept going.
I mean we knew the game was goneat half time, but actually the
the whole performance of thesecond half, the whole team,
when you're beaten, sometimesyou can let your heads go down
and you know, but we didn't, andwe we kept going for the for the
you know the bonus, uh the fourtry bonus point, and really

(34:48):
we're very, very close.
It was it was the grasp of HarryFach's fingers, or the lack of
or the lack of yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (34:55):
I mean it was it was a shame that and and actually to
be honest, that came fromnothing.
We were I think we had fiveseconds to go, and then we got a
penalty, and we then I thought Ithought game's gone.
We got a penalty, we went down,we did everything we could, and
actually they did the rightthing, they didn't try and do a
rolling mall, did they?
They they did a little spin-offand and it almost was there, and
I thought it was in, and I Ijumped up, looked like a bit of

(35:16):
a knobby.
Um to be fair on the TV it didlook like he got it first of
all, um, but you know, it it itwasn't to be a couple of other
things.
Um, Aidan Boschoff came on veryearly for Joe Jenkins.
Now we've seen a bit of thisguy, he's under Wales under 20,
he's the one with the flowinglocks.
Um played a couple of Prem Cupgames, but this was his actual

(35:38):
premiership debut, so you canimagine how he was feeling.
Well, where at Sarage thinking Imight be the last person to come
on at the end of the game, yeah,yeah.
And the interesting thing was Iactually saw him afterwards.
Um, he was talking to his mumand some relatives, and he they
were stood right next to me, andI could hear him saying that he,
you know, they genuinely thoughthe was only gonna get 20

(35:59):
minutes, so when he came onearly, it was quite a big thing,
and he and he was kind of like astar-struck sort of um fan
because he said, and the otherthing was I heard him say this
did you not see me?
I was I was almost a scrappingwith Owen Farrell, it was like
he was kind of fast, brilliant,and it was brilliant.
And you know what?
I I came away, I thought I likethat boy's attitude, and he's

(36:19):
big.
I thought he looks quite small,he's big, and he's got he's
muscly, and I think we're gonnaneed him, to be honest, at this
rate.

SPEAKER_03 (36:27):
And he held his own as well, didn't he?

SPEAKER_02 (36:28):
Physically, he did he wasn't he didn't panic, and
there was I think when he cameon, he went on the wing, and
then we had two rucks, andMarmion was out of it, and he
went in at scrum half and heflipped, you know, he took
control, he did, and I justthink that was a positive
attitude.

SPEAKER_04 (36:43):
Um that was a you know that and we'll see more of
Aidan.
I mean, there weren't many,there weren't too many positives
of the whole game, but I I I Iabsolutely agree.
The second half, the thesubstitutes that came on, the
energy they brought, and thepower, uh, and you're right,
they did not look down, uh, andthey brought some absolute life
to the second half, and Ithought they were bluffing

(37:03):
brilliant.
You know, Boschoff came onPepper, Graham Slaw.
Well, the whole bench came on.
The whole bench was empty, to behonest with you.
Uh, and every one of those subsput on put in a hundred percent,
and Thacker looked reallylively, and it's yeah, you're
right, really unlucky not to getthat bonus point on the 81st
minute.

SPEAKER_03 (37:21):
Biggest positive second half is um Joe Owen's
offload.
Yeah, resummit break, Joe Owen'soffload, and Marmian scores.
I mean, that offload Joe was itoff.
It was the acceleration.

SPEAKER_04 (37:34):
He looked like a thoroughbred.
Well, he is.

SPEAKER_02 (37:36):
We've said this before.
It's like I'd say he's he's bestmate.
He's not Denman.
Denman's a bit stocky, he's bestmate.
Just he's a he's a champion,he's a gold cup horse.
Oh, yes.
I wouldn't put him for the foruh I'd be if I was training him,
it would be uh he'd be champ,he'd be gold cup.
Totally agree.
Yeah, uh last player.

(37:57):
And he yeah, and actually, to befair, we should mention I think
he had a you know he put a bigshift in, him and bats, and uh
you know he he did he did quitea lot of carrying as well, Joe
Joe Owen, because he played atsix.
And he's a I mean that was onethat was one debate someone put
on.
It's like why was he starting atsix and we had Stevie on the
bench?
Maybe Stevie should have startedat six, and we also had we had

(38:18):
Luca seven.

SPEAKER_04 (38:20):
Well, it was quite a lot of time when Luca switched
to number eight, you see that.
So maybe on the Saris puttingprobably when when matter was
off the yellow.

SPEAKER_02 (38:27):
Well, I think during the I've got to say, that was
harsh.
That was there was hardly anycontact at all.

SPEAKER_04 (38:33):
In my opinion, on TB shoulder to shoulder, without
doubt.
The guy who no no doubt, look atno head in the city.

SPEAKER_02 (38:38):
And it was the young lad as well, it's like the
12-year-old who's about six footfour.
He didn't complain at all, andhe didn't and he was slipping.
I I thought that was very, veryharsh yellow.
It didn't really matter, did it?

SPEAKER_04 (38:48):
But they scored a couple of so boys.

SPEAKER_02 (38:51):
I think we're gonna stop it there because there's
only so much people want to hearabout Saracens away.
We've never won there, it feelslike we never will.
Um, but I I had quite a goodtime.
I got I it's just anothermitigation, it's just a must be
a terrible place to play rugbyif you're a rugby player, it's
just so soulless, and and andthe the setup's great that you

(39:14):
don't queue for drinks, there'sloads of food, it's it's easy to
I love the fact you could getright close to the pitch
beforehand and afterhand, butjust to play there, everything
about it is all is all about thehome team and all about Saris
know exactly how to play there.

SPEAKER_04 (39:27):
I guess I've got what I got I've got a question
at the end of my notes though.
However, you you're absolutelyright, Sarre's are absolutely
they're gonna dominate theseason.
I cannot see any flaws in the inthe system they played at the
weekend.
I think we've all agreed that.
However, you know, there is alittle bit of a little bit of
defensive questioning going on.

(39:49):
We cannot if we cannot outscoreteams, do we need better
defence?
And I agree Saracens were justtoo good yesterday, um, but
there were a little bit too manymissed tackles, and I agree it's
Saracens, but that is that notjust basics of defence.
Um defend, defend, defend, getyour tackles right, and I and I
I feel we need a little bit ofbetter defence, even against the

(40:12):
best teams in the league.

SPEAKER_03 (40:14):
We definitely 100% need to start games better
because we we can't be 20 pointsdown after 20 minutes, I totally
agree.

SPEAKER_04 (40:21):
We we can't get we can't against anyone, we can't
come back against better teams,can we?

SPEAKER_02 (40:26):
Well, I think let's draw a line under that because
it's a good point, well made,and and will be a continual
point, I imagine, and even forthis weekend coming.
So you're listening to BearsBeyond the Gate, a Bristol Bears
podcast made by fans for fans.
Um, if you want to get in touch,uh please give us an email.
Uh, like a couple of peoplehave, and I'll try and remember
that at the end to to say that.
Uh BearsBeyTegate at gmail.com.

(40:47):
We've got our socials, which isas bears be at bears beyond gate
on Twitter, and we've got ourburgeoning Instagram account,
which is really for the for thekids, you know.
I think I think I think bigburgeoning is the day we die.
It's really for our two or threeteenage fans that we have, one
of which we did say did what didtalk to my daughter on the

(41:08):
downs.
Oh, okay.
And also my my my um this is oh,this is a fun thing, boys.
My uh oh eldest daughter isdoing English language A level,
and that next week they've gotto choose the introductions to
four different podcasts andanalyse it.
But get this one of the lads inher set listens to Bears Beyond
the Gate, and he said that he'sgonna use us as one of the ones.

(41:31):
We're gonna be part of thecurriculum lads.
Actually, on that note, didn'tyou meet someone at Sarys, Pete?
Oh, I did, I should say.
I was gonna wake that at theend, but I let's do the
shout-out now.
I met a lovely lady calledLucia.
Big shout out to Lucia, kind ofapproached me, said, Are you
Pete from the pod?
I was like, Yeah, who are you?
And uh, you know, I I could havesaid, Well, I don't know how

(41:52):
you're supposed to react tothese situations.
Anyway, love really nice.
But the thing was, she's aBristol fan from Lockdown, just
kind of got into rugby.
Her um fella who was there is aSaracens fan.
They live in London.
Where's Lockdown, by the way?
Well, where's suburb of Bristol?
Well, exactly, from Lockdown.
Well, I said, What?
Lot Lee's?
I went, Lock Lee's.
She went, no, Lockdown.
I said, I've got anyway, yeah,that's quality.

(42:13):
Anyway, she just said shestarted watching Bristol because
she just loved the way weplayed, and then she got she
hurt, she sort of found the pod,started listening to the pod,
said I love it.
I just feel like I get, youknow, by listening to the pod,
I've I've learned more about Ilove her she doesn't like
Sarry's.

SPEAKER_04 (42:28):
That's the best way exactly.

SPEAKER_02 (42:30):
So so I said, Oh, you know, when you know, you
should come to Ashton Gate.
She said, I've never been, she'snever even been to Bristol.
She needs to remedy that.
So Lucio, it was really nice tomeet you, I really appreciate
it.
And then it turned out she wassat like right behind me as
well.
So had a nice little chathalf-time and and uh so forth.
So, you know, we've got toremember that there are
died-in-the-wool Bristol fanswho've been there from like

(42:54):
literally when the sort ofanimals came out of the soup
since Cove.
People have been there, beenthere are people who have been
supporting Bristol since theNeolithic times.
I know that, but it is quitenice to think that the branding
you know has widened theinterest in our club.

SPEAKER_03 (43:11):
Absolutely.
At the end of the day, we're allsupporters, aren't we?
Yeah, whether you don't knowwhere we come from, we're all
shapes and sizes, yes,absolutely.
We have one collective and andand it's us winning something.
Yeah, let's yeah, right.
You just get that dig in there,right?

SPEAKER_02 (43:25):
At the end, all the way.
But Lucia was Shisha said, I'mjust happy.
But she did say we need to winsomething as well.
Even Lucia said that.
Even right.
Let's move on, boys.
Um, so we've got a game nextweek.
We've got a game Saturday, thickand fast.
I mean, we've been moaning aboutoh, hang on, you can't moan
about it.
Like we've been waiting allsummer, and then you're like,
oh, we've got another game now.
I'll tell you why, because Mileshas done in already because I

(43:48):
can't come.

SPEAKER_03 (43:49):
Got it.
That's got nothing to do withthat's got nothing to do with
Chiefs, though.
No, no, no, no.
Oh dear, right?

SPEAKER_02 (43:58):
Hopefully that won't get in the A-level curriculum.
Let's not go there.
It's not it's not PSHE Miles,it's English language, right?
Anyway, let's move on.
Chiefs.
I I mean Chiefs have actuallystarted pretty well.
I mean, having said that, theywere losing, then they came that
amazing comeback in the firstgame, and then it sounds like
they won quite convincinglyFaye.
Um Fayo Busso is seems to be onfire.

(44:21):
So we know we don't have a wehave a variable record against
Chiefs at home.
I you know, I I can't get beyondthat Christmas one.
Oh and and we've had someding-dongs, and it is the week
next weekend is being marketedas the local derby, but the
ding-dong derby.
The ding-dong derby.
And to be honest, Chiefs aregonna come up the uh the M4 with

(44:43):
their peckers relatively high.
Unlike Miles, unlike Miles.
Well, I'm gonna be going downthe other way down the M5 with
and also there is a little bitof added interest that obviously
Dave Walder, who was our youknow, ex um briefly assistant,

(45:03):
uh well, Pat's assistant.

SPEAKER_04 (45:05):
Um and we might also add that what Miles?
Say it.
One of Lee's best mate and chiefsupporter, Paddy Paddy is in
town.
Paddy's in town.

SPEAKER_02 (45:16):
So I so there's a little bit of extra nickel.
It's I I think I'd I'm I put itthis way, I'm more excited, even
whatever happened at theweekend, it's more exciting to
think about playing Chiefs atAshton Gates.
Ever carrying Stonex.
So I think I think the biggestissue to talk about, because we
know how we're gonna play rugby,we know that.
Yeah, yeah, so we think it needto think about our team.

(45:37):
Now we've bemoaned injuries, andand of course, rightly so, but
there is a little bit of asilver lining, and I'm gonna
throw that in straight away.
Fitz Harding.
Please do.
We miss Fitz Harding onSaturday, I've got to say.
And and it you know, sometimesyou don't know how good someone
is sometimes until they're notthere.
That was a classic case of Fitz.
He's got to be back because itwas a one-game HIA, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_04 (45:58):
Should be back.

SPEAKER_02 (45:59):
Well, he should be by now.
I mean, how long does he need?
Well ten days, I thought it was.
Two weeks.
Okay.
He'll be back.
He'll be back.
Now, the other Genji has to beback.

SPEAKER_04 (46:09):
Yeah, game three.
So I think all of those Lionsare back.

SPEAKER_02 (46:12):
And unless so Genji on Hume is back.
He's gonna be chomping at thebit.
And um the other big issue isthe Argentinians.
So the rugby championship's nowfinished.
Yes.
We've got Pedro Rubiolo, he went80 against the South Africans
though, and we got SantiGrandona.
So I'm hoping that both of thosewill be at least benched.

(46:35):
Yes, yeah.
Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_05 (46:36):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I agree.

SPEAKER_02 (46:38):
The other little one I'm gonna throw out there, Rich
Lane.
Because when we had that when wehad that update, he was the one
where you thought it was only alittle stinger.

SPEAKER_04 (46:47):
It wasn't it wasn't surgery required.

SPEAKER_02 (46:50):
It wasn't out for the season, it was a bit of a
stinger, should we come backsoon?
Because we really need RichLane.
Yeah, I think I agree.
I absolutely agree.
So on that note, should we gofor a starting fifteen?
We can try.
Let's do it.
You can choose what you want,because I've already done one in
my head, but if you want toyou've got a chance to choose

(47:11):
which part of that fifteen youwant.
If we do it, let's take thefront ring.
Should we do well let's divideit in?
It's fifteen divided by three,five each.
So who's gonna do front five?
I'm happy.
Go on in.
Right, front five, Genji.
Yeah Ogre.
Chawarma or Klosker.
I s I suspect it might beKlosker at the start.

(47:32):
Okay.
But I think those two areinterchangeable at the moment.
So Chawatama would be on the onthe on the bench.
And then I mean both Dunn andBats.

SPEAKER_03 (47:41):
Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (47:41):
Because they both I saw them like live a metre away,
and they look fine.
So I can I can say that as anexclusive, they both looked
alright.

SPEAKER_04 (47:52):
They came off the pitch as a bigger one.

SPEAKER_02 (47:53):
They weren't hobbling, they didn't have blood
anywhere.
Like bats look like he had a bitof a black eye, but I mean
that's standard, isn't it?
That's a given, isn't it?
Um so so I'm gonna go that.
So we're going Genj, Ogre, um,Closker, I think, will get a
start because of a good strongsecond half.
I think so.

SPEAKER_03 (48:11):
Dunbar plays well against Chiefs as well.

SPEAKER_02 (48:13):
Yeah, and I would also say that if I'm allowed to,
I'd say that the backups will beobviously Sharatama for Closker,
Thacker for Ogre, and probablyWoolmore, unless he got injured
because he went off halfway.
So you've got Graham SlaughterWoolmore behind Genji.
That's my five.
Who's gonna do back three andthen half backs?

SPEAKER_04 (48:32):
Uh I don't think we can muck around.
Uh uh Bill Matter, number eight.
Has to be.
Fitz back.

SPEAKER_02 (48:38):
Has to be at seven, I'd say seven.
So who's gonna be blind sight?
Interesting.
See, now we've actually got wego on about injuries, we're now
thinking, oh, we've got a bit ofa choice here.

SPEAKER_04 (48:48):
I'm gonna go for Luca Ivanishvili.

SPEAKER_02 (48:50):
At six?

SPEAKER_04 (48:51):
Hold on, what no?

SPEAKER_02 (48:52):
Fitz will go seven.

SPEAKER_04 (48:53):
Fitz at seven.

SPEAKER_03 (48:54):
Fitz will be seven, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (48:55):
Yeah, I think I think we're gonna go back to
type.
I think he if he anything, he'llbe on the bench.
And he wanna tricky, trickytricky.

SPEAKER_03 (49:07):
Keep going.

SPEAKER_02 (49:08):
So what are you saying?
Fitz at seven, matter at eight.

SPEAKER_04 (49:13):
Okay.

SPEAKER_02 (49:14):
Um don't don't lean too far away from the
microphone.

SPEAKER_04 (49:16):
No, no, no, no.
I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 (49:20):
Stevie?

SPEAKER_04 (49:22):
Sorry, Stevie.
Stevie it's gotta be.

SPEAKER_02 (49:25):
I think it'd be Stevie and I think probably
Santi be on the bench.
And I should have said I thinkRubiolo will be on the bench.

SPEAKER_04 (49:32):
I mean, yeah, Santi played brilliantly at the
weekend when he came to theroom.

SPEAKER_02 (49:35):
But he played eight for the RG's.

SPEAKER_04 (49:36):
Yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_02 (49:37):
Um he's just how much rest?
I mean, I don't think they needit, but are we gonna give them
rest?
That's my only thing.

SPEAKER_04 (49:43):
Well, that's it.
What?
Well, I've got 60 minutes rest.

SPEAKER_03 (49:46):
Well, I mean, when you think how depleted the squad
is, no, I think you need tothrow him in.
You need to throw him in.
I think I mean we also got BenGrandona, who's also came on and
played well.

SPEAKER_02 (49:57):
So it might be that we on the Santa might I don't
know.

SPEAKER_04 (49:59):
I just feel like Big Stevie to start physicality.

SPEAKER_02 (50:02):
We need Rubiola.
I think he's gonna say we needyou, Big Pedro, because say you
know, Chiefs are gonna come hotand hard.
Hot and hard, unlike Miles.

SPEAKER_04 (50:13):
Sorry for Dell Devon.

SPEAKER_03 (50:14):
This podcast is going down.

SPEAKER_04 (50:17):
Let's not detract that you know we needed some
leadership at Sarres.
Um the captain was out, so weneed him back.
But secondary captain, bigStevie, we've got to play.
There's no mucking around thatthis weekend, is there?

SPEAKER_02 (50:29):
We've got to get a good start.

SPEAKER_04 (50:30):
We've taken a lot of Stevie Stevie to start.

SPEAKER_02 (50:33):
Right, and half backs, then obviously at number
eight.
Obviously, you've got twohalfbacks for your five.
You've had three back rowhalfbacks, obviously, nine,
obviously.
Marmion.
Start with Marmion, and thenten, we're gonna assume we're
gonna see that George is back.

SPEAKER_04 (50:46):
Precautionary rib injury, yeah, rest.
Has to be one day, back onSaturday.

SPEAKER_03 (50:52):
Then centres back three, then.
Okay, so Joe Jenkins is is uhhe's gone, he's finished, not a
hammy, yeah, 100%.
So I mean, this is this I meanwe're talking bare bones now,
aren't we?
So uh actually Joe Owen.
What about Joe Owen?
Hang on bench bench bench.

SPEAKER_04 (51:11):
Yeah, yeah, definitely bench.

SPEAKER_02 (51:12):
Brilliant unless he could be an outside six, let's
put it, could be an outsidecandidate for six, because he
did play well, anyway.

SPEAKER_03 (51:19):
Right, so so we got we got Bernard.
You know, Bennard's in the six.
Yes, we have.
Yes, that's a good one.

SPEAKER_02 (51:24):
I saw him actually, just a little side, because I
met him at Asda once.
I haven't really spoken to himbecause I don't think he kind of
really understands who we are,because we have had a chat, but
I don't like anyway.
And I've met him at Asda, whichis a you know, you meet a lot of
weird people at he's not weird,but he's it we meet anyway.

SPEAKER_04 (51:38):
He's everyone's a weird one.

SPEAKER_02 (51:40):
He's probably been told you lot of you meet a lot
of weird people at Asda.
Anyway, he came over at the endof the game, and there was some
little kid who stood right byme, and he came over and then he
did it, and then looked at meand he gave me that look.
You know, when you kind of knowthat you know someone but you're
not quite sure.
He was definitely that, and hethere was that little awkward
silence.
I thought, no, I I I won't puthim on the spot, and just sort
of smiled at it and walked away.

SPEAKER_03 (52:01):
I'm sure he looked at you and thought, that's the
pervert who was looking at mygirlfriend from uh Ash did when
we yeah, when we were in thesports party, anyway.
Let's go.
So play on twelve.
Yeah, um bloody hell, who'sgonna play alongside him?
Come on, Mr.
Redband, Revovo, it's calledRevovo, it's Revovo.
Yeah, but now I'm strugglingthinking who's gonna play on the

(52:22):
body.

SPEAKER_02 (52:22):
Well, I can tell you.
I think the Hobley Toe boy isokay.

SPEAKER_03 (52:29):
I think we're at this point in time, I'm thinking
everyone's injured.
So Lewis Re-Sammett.
He was walking at the end of thepitch on TV.

SPEAKER_02 (52:37):
I told you, boys, I also exclusive Bears beyond the
gate exclusive, and I stopped atReading Services on the way home
at about 10 o'clock.
Lewis Reesamit came in with hisgirlfriend into Reading
Services.
What?
And he was walking better thanhe was when he offered me.
I actually asked him, Is yourtoe alright?
And he said he said, Yeah, it'llbe alright.
And then walked off.
There we go.
So there you go.

(52:58):
It was a toe.
Come on.

SPEAKER_04 (52:59):
Yeah, strap it to the other toe now.

SPEAKER_02 (53:02):
Based on my experience of talking to him for
one second at Reading Services,he's gonna play.
He's gonna play.
Okay.
Well that's I mean that's good.
So the other wing is the otherquestion, though.

SPEAKER_03 (53:11):
Wow.
Uh Heward?

SPEAKER_02 (53:13):
No.

SPEAKER_03 (53:14):
No, he's injured.
Oh, for God's sake.

SPEAKER_02 (53:16):
I think the guy we've just bigged up massively.
Hey?
The guy we just bigged up.
Who's left?
Who came off?
Boschhoff, Boschoff.
Boschoff's gonna start.
He has to.
I can't think of any otherwingers.
Heward's injured, Ibatoy'sinjured, whatever.

SPEAKER_03 (53:30):
Lane unless Lane's option.
But the thing is he because he'sso new.
Because he's so new, you I I Ican't even kind of get it into
my no no process.

SPEAKER_02 (53:39):
Pepper might play because I suppose Pepper's got a
slightly bit more experiencehaving played at Newcastle.

SPEAKER_03 (53:44):
Yeah, I guess.
And then 15.
Well it's got to be Carrington.

SPEAKER_02 (53:48):
Again, he had a he had a he had a couple of he had
a he had to deal with a coupleof massive start spiral bombs
from Farrell.
And it was there was one thatbounced, it was bounced onto his
like chest, which I thoughtwasn't a knock-on anyway.
Um but I thought he did alrightconsidering, and we're like he
he's gonna carry on, isn't he?

SPEAKER_04 (54:05):
Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (54:07):
And I think Bench will be Worsley will be on the
bench to cover.

SPEAKER_04 (54:10):
Yeah, he did alright, actually.
Against Tafsari's team.

SPEAKER_03 (54:14):
Pepper will be on.
Well, I mean, we should sayactually Worsley, you know he's
a Devon boy.
Yeah.
So he's I think his brotherplays for Clumton.
Clumpton.
Under under Clumpton.
I think they'll be bringinganother coach up, Clumpton.

SPEAKER_02 (54:26):
I mean, if they took 17 to uh the big day out,
they'll be bringing like 700.

SPEAKER_03 (54:32):
Seventeen.
They brought 50.

SPEAKER_02 (54:35):
Oh, yeah, even more.
62.
So I reckon the whole ofColumpton.
So any like minor thieves outthere, it's a good good weekend
to our little snout aroundClumpton.
Paddy's walking.
I know Paddy's walking home toColumpton like he normally does.

SPEAKER_03 (54:50):
Oh no, he won't be doing that again.
He'll he'll only have to go 300yards this week.

SPEAKER_02 (54:55):
So I think that's sorted.
So let's very quickly we'll goround.
Very quickly, what do you thinkis going to happen?
Like, what's your prediction?
Score, result, say result, notscore, result on Bears win by
twelve.
Bears win by twelve.

SPEAKER_04 (55:07):
I think it's gonna be tight.
I mean, Chiefs have got thepeckers up, they came back
miles.
They came back from what 33 downagainst Saints, uh, and they've
just beaten Chiefs 38-15.
There are other metaphors youcould have used by Chiefs are
just beating Jeeps.
I'm not gonna go.

SPEAKER_01 (55:28):
You could have said Chiefs are gonna be strong, but
confident.

SPEAKER_04 (55:31):
I don't know, they're gonna be confident.
I think it's gonna be Bristolwin by two.
Two.

SPEAKER_02 (55:38):
Well, I I think it it does depend again on
injuries, it depends maybe alittle bit on the weather, but I
think Dunny, the way he lookedat me in the eye, and he said
before he kissed you.
No, before he said, What the fwell he said, you again.
You're always following mearound.
But if he looked me in the eyeand he said, We're gonna have

(56:00):
big we've been in the huddle,we've said first thing, big
response Saturday.
But it has to be has to be.
So I I'm gonna say Bristol byfive.
Not much bigger, not bigger thanit.
It's gonna be one of thoseresponses where the ambulance
takes about three hours to getthere, but it does eventually
get there.

SPEAKER_04 (56:16):
You know what?
I you know, I think it could beI seriously, I think it could be
a big, a big response, and we'llabsolutely smash them.
Well, like multi- you just saidby two points.
I know.
I'm being a sceptic, I'm notgonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_02 (56:28):
You say like, you know, one of these responses
where you get like about fiveambulances, fire engines, you
may even have the Coast Guardinvolved as well.
Air ambulance, the standard.
I mean, I mean that sort ofresponse is that we're gonna
marmalise them by two points.
A couple of AA vans, the fifthemergency service will be there
as well.

SPEAKER_04 (56:43):
That's why I'm swapping counties for the week,
just for the day.

SPEAKER_02 (56:45):
Right, boys, we've got to move on.
Couple of things we've got toget through.
Go um AOP.
We did a very, very low-key drawfor hero listeners, uh, who
people who contributed to thisamazing equipment that we're
using.
Um, we thought we I did emaileveryone, so they did they have
had their thank you.
We did a little draw for Dunny'sEuropean shirt unwashed and

(57:08):
signed, and the few people werethere, unfortunately, none of
them won it at all.
So I'm gonna I'm so basicallythe winner was Adrian Randall.
There was some discussion aboutwhether that was Harry's dad,
but it's clearly not.
So, Adrian Randall, I will emailyou actually.
But if you're at the game onSaturday, let us know because we
could arrange to get the shirt.
And also, Chris Thorne, I did anon the spot second prize, which

(57:30):
was uh Bristol Beer Factory 10%.
It was Miles' 10% card.
Which which Miles I've nowretracted any uh I've now
retracted, I've retracted thatoffer.
But luckily, Lewis has said it'sfine.
I'm gonna give you my card andhe's gonna give me another one.
So, Chris, if you are around,get in touch or I'll get in
touch with you.
And you I mean 10% for the restof your life is not you add all

(57:53):
those percentages up, it'spretty good.
Is it?
Yeah, all right.
It is if you drink as much as wedo.
And then a couple of so andagain, I'd just like to say
thanks to everybody who hascontributed.
It was like 680 quids worth ofkit, and we we're hopefully
you'll see some sort of itobviously doesn't affect the
what we say, but it's just theway you hear us say it.

(58:14):
The way we say it, and it makesus feel good, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_03 (58:17):
Yeah, I mean it it was humbling again.
Like it was brilliant to see youon the concourse.
Uh I was so disappointedpersonally that no one that was
in the crowd.

SPEAKER_02 (58:27):
Yeah, I couldn't fix it because I'd literally written
everybody's name, 40 names out.
In fact, more than 40, becausepeople who put more money in got
more names.

SPEAKER_03 (58:36):
Yeah, and I think the irony is none none of us
knew who Adrian Randall is.
No.
Where did he come from?

SPEAKER_02 (58:43):
Well, I mean we've got some other.
So we'll get on that.
And then finally, a couple I'vegot one more two things to say.
Um there was a lot of feedbackabout the smoke at Ashton Gate
last year, and there and I'dposted out like on the when I
posted the pod out on uh onTwitter, I'd used a photograph

(59:03):
that I'd taken on the day of thesmoke, and as someone pointed
out, there was an advertunderneath said no vaping
allowed in the ground, it wasabsolute quality, and then a few
people said it didn't wasn'tgood for their asthma.
I I don't know, I quite like thesmoke smoke, but anyway, there
you go.
For the tigers game, yeah,tigers game, sorry, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 (59:19):
Yeah, I I quite liked it.

SPEAKER_02 (59:21):
I thought it was I think there'll be more smoke on
certain things.

SPEAKER_03 (59:23):
Yeah, I thought it was good.
Obviously, if you do suffer fromasthma, it's not great, but
don't go six one to six.

SPEAKER_02 (59:30):
Yeah, I I'd also think just made me think, is
here's a big question to ponderin the week.
Do you think we'll see airguitar cam after this pelter,
the pelters that it got?

SPEAKER_03 (59:40):
No, no never again never again.
No, it deserved pelters.
I mean we had Adj Dane, lioninjured, and they put that on,
it was absolute nonsense.
Just don't do that again.

SPEAKER_02 (59:51):
No.
Um and then finally, two thingsactually.
Tom Partridge, long timelistener, pulled us up.
Well pulled me up really on whenI was stumbling around the
definition pulled us up when wewere talking about the score
last week being 42 24.
It's it's palindromic.
And I was trying to explain whatthat was, and it was a we kind

(01:00:14):
of we didn't really get thedefinition out right.
There was talk of symmetry,there was talk of equilibrium.
So and Tom pulled us up.
And he didn't, I said, but itwas a palindrome.
He said, Oh yeah, I'm notarguing that you were right,
it's just that your definitionwasn't very good.
So I I looked it up and here itis.
It is a word, phrase, orsequence that reads the same
backwards as forwards, e.g.,madam or nurses run, which of

(01:00:38):
course is what they do at theBRI when they see Miles coming
along.

SPEAKER_03 (01:00:44):
But also, Tom, I'd like to say you try drinking 10
pints and still making sense ofa podcast.

SPEAKER_04 (01:00:52):
And then you can do it, or recording a podcast after
about.

SPEAKER_02 (01:00:56):
I'd also like to finish off by um we we mentioned
the old fortress thing lastweek, and then Spikes Spencer
Mizen got in touch and he is ahistory buff, and I think we're
running out of time, but he gaveus quite a detailed history
lesson about fortresses, and youknow what?
I said it, and if I'm reallyquick, if I quickly get me uh

(01:01:18):
bears me on the phone.
It was a good history.
It was actually really, reallygood.
So here it is, I'm gonna read itout.
So Spencer got in touch andsaid, or did he?
He says, Spencer Mizin.
Hello chaps, still loving thepodcast.
I enjoyed your discussion onwhether Leicester successfully
breached Fortress Ashton Gate onSunday.

(01:01:39):
As a longtime fan of Englishhistory, here's my take on the
game.
For me, Bristol's valiant winover the Tigers most closely
resembles the 1216 siege ofDover Castle in the First
Barons' War.
Prince Louis's French army, ledby those dastardly knights,
Radwan and Van Portfleet, veryclever, breached the fortress

(01:01:59):
walls and threatened to eat ourpasties and steal our cider.
However, they were quicklyidentified, isolated, and
ultimately repelled by a dashingEnglish counter-attack led by
Sir James Dunn of Bristol.
Radwan and Van Portfleet werelast seen somewhere on the M5,
running for their lives back toLeicester.
Huzzah! Victory was ours.

(01:02:21):
Oh, and Palaham definitely isn'ta modern day King John.

SPEAKER_03 (01:02:25):
So cheers, Spencer Mizn.
Well, that's one of the bestthings I've I've heard in a long
time.
But the M5, would it have stillbeen called the M5 back in 1065?

SPEAKER_04 (01:02:35):
But I do I I can contest.

SPEAKER_03 (01:02:37):
The Roman road, I don't reckon.

SPEAKER_04 (01:02:38):
Yeah, yeah.
I can contest that I haveactually seen the walls of Dover
Castle and they are huge, andthere would be not yeah, the the
repelling of them would be quiteeasy.
Okay.
So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (01:02:50):
Well I think on that note, I love that though.
That was so good.
And that is what I love aboutthis is that someone's felt
compelled to adapt a historicalevent to kind of clarify
something that we talked about.

SPEAKER_03 (01:03:02):
That is beautiful, and I think I think Spencer is a
is a good friend of uh bigJohnny Silverphone as well.
So easy.
So it's all good.
All good in the hood.
Thank you, Spencer.

SPEAKER_02 (01:03:11):
Anything else to say, boys?
So on that note, that historicalnote, I think we'll say uh have
a good week, stay safe, look forstay positive, stay positive.

SPEAKER_04 (01:03:24):
You're right.

SPEAKER_02 (01:03:25):
There's always another game.
Please turn up next weekend andone, two, three, up the bear.
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My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.

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Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

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