144-571: Bristol Bears (officially Bristol Rugby Club or Bristol Rugby) are a professional rugby union club based in Bristol , England. They play in Premiership Rugby , England's top division of rugby. The club was founded as Bristol Football Club in 1888; between 1921 and 2014, home matches were played at the Memorial Ground , and have since been played at Ashton Gate Stadium in the south-west of
288-563: A British Isles team visited Australia and New Zealand—although a private venture, it laid the foundations for future British and Irish Lions tours; and the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team brought the first overseas team to British spectators. During the early history of rugby union, a time before commercial air travel, teams from different continents rarely met. The first two notable tours both took place in 1888—the British Isles team touring New Zealand and Australia, followed by
432-635: A Football League Trophy tie at Ashton Gate Stadium by a 2–1 scoreline. Other rivals are Newport County and mainly teams from the West Country, such as Swindon Town , Cheltenham Town , Yeovil Town and Forest Green Rovers . In the past, rivalries also emerged with Severnside rivals Cardiff City known as the Severnside derby . Rovers' most recent meeting against Cardiff was an EFL Cup defeat in August 2024. The last time Cardiff and Bristol Rovers were in
576-488: A haka before each match, leading Welsh Rugby Union administrator Tom Williams to suggest that Wales player Teddy Morgan lead the crowd in singing the Welsh National Anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau , as a response. After Morgan began singing, the crowd joined in: the first time a national anthem was sung at the start of a sporting event. In 1905 France played England in its first international match. Rugby union
720-500: A 3-year deal from Bordeaux Bègles , creating one of the most dangerous back three in Rugby Union, alongside Charles Piutau and Luke Morahan . Bristol signed England internationals Nathan Hughes and Dave Attwood in advance of the 2019/2020 season and also Henry Purdy from Coventry Rugby to bring a total of 15 new signings. Players released included Tusi Pisi , Jack Lam and George Smith . Bristol started their second year in
864-549: A crucial relegation fixture against Bath in May 2003. Bristol finished third in the league , securing a Heineken Cup place for only the second time, and then reached the semi-finals of the play-offs , losing 26–14 at Leicester . Martin Haag was released as Bristol's forwards coach in June 2007 and replaced by John Brain . Bristol could not replicate the success of the previous season and ended
1008-477: A derogatory term used by fans of their main rivals , Bristol City , but was affectionately adopted by the club and its supporters. Cardiff City and Swindon Town are considered their second and third biggest rivals . Other rivalries include; Cheltenham Town , Exeter City , Forest Green Rovers , Plymouth Argyle , Torquay United and Yeovil Town . These rivalries are considered West Country Derbies and are often heated encounters. The women's team play in
1152-518: A dip in form on the domestic front with a home draw with London Irish and defeats to Saracens and Wasps . In the European Challenge Cup , Bristol were drawn against Zebre , CA Brive and Stade Français . Bristol won all but one of these fixtures home and away with the only non win being the 7–7 away draw with Zebre. A return to the premiership resulted in back to back wins against Gloucester, Northampton Saints, Bath and Harlequins. However,
1296-545: A disappointing 2000–01 season finishing ninth. Off the field, Jack Rowell became managing director, and successful community initiatives saw the attendance figures rise. Chief Executive Nicholas de Scossa was involved in debates about top clubs separating from the Rugby Football Union and forming a new Premier League. The 2001–02 season brought a new name, Bristol Shoguns , following a five-year £2-million sponsorship deal with Mitsubishi Motors. The Shoguns finishing
1440-481: A failed attempt to immediately return to the Premiership, losing to Exeter Chiefs in the final of the play-offs, a number of first team players quit the club and financial pressures caused significant worries at the club once more. With a more modest squad of players, Bristol struggled to find winning form in the 2010–11 season finishing eighth in the championship and failing to reach the playoff finals. In 2011, following
1584-404: A first ever league win away at Bath . At Christmas 2002 owner Malcolm Pearce announced that he would quit at the end of the season. Rumours circulated that Bristol could be sold to Firoz Kassam and play out of Oxford , and a merger with rivals Bath had been mooted. Neither event came to pass, but Bristol were relegated at the end of the season as off-field distractions took their toll. Before
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#17330861438811728-582: A further 15 points ahead of third placed Bedford Blues . The scrapping of the promotion playoffs that season meant that the team at the top of the table after the regular season was promoted. This greatly played into the club's hands as the playoffs have dramatically turned against them in the past; in the 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons, Bristol finished first in the table, only to be eliminated by Exeter Chiefs , Cornish Pirates , London Welsh and Worcester Warriors respectively, three of whom secured promotion instead. On 1 June 2018, Bristol Rugby
1872-538: A gym and a clubhouse building. Having owned the land since 2017, no work had previously been carried out before the club moved into the training ground for the start in October 2020. On 6 April 2023, Conygar Investment Company exchanged contracts with the Wholesale Bristol Fruit Market for the land at St. Philips Marsh, with the football club seeing it was a 'move in the right direction' with regards to
2016-623: A hat-trick in the previous week against Worcester Warriors . On 10 February Varndell became the leading try scorer in the Aviva Premiership when he scored against Harlequins at Ashton Gate. Ultimately, Bristol finished bottom of the Premiership in their returning year, having been relegated with 2 weeks to go after a 21–36 loss against Wasps at Ashton Gate. They finished 12th with only 3 wins and 20 accumulated points, 13 behind 11th placed Worcester Warriors. Their three victories involved beating Worcester 28–20 at Ashton Gate, beating Sale 23–24 at
2160-470: A lack of success Paul Hull in mutual agreement with club left Bristol Rugby and was replaced by academy coach Liam Middleton . In Middleton's first full season in charge Bristol finished top of the championship table but failed to progress to the play-off finals, losing to Cornish Pirates in the semi-finals. From the 2008–09 season businessman Stephen Lansdown financed Bristol Rugby, this only became public knowledge when Lansdown formalised his ownership of
2304-580: A limited number of games, and Cambridge and Oxford continued their annual University Match . The first officially sanctioned international rugby sevens tournament took place in 1973 at Murrayfield, one of Scotland's biggest stadiums, as part of the Scottish Rugby Union centenary celebrations. In 1987, the first Rugby World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand, and the inaugural winners were New Zealand. The first World Cup Sevens tournament
2448-415: A lineout throw is generally awarded to the opposition at the spot on the sideline where they left the field. Exceptions include a kick out "on the full" (i.e. the ball did not land in the field-of-play before going into touch) in which case the lineout would still take place on the sideline but back in line with where the ball was kicked, or when a team takes a free kick from a penalty where they would retain
2592-593: A member of the Jordan Football Association , would become the president. Since 2016, the club has been owned by Dwane Sports Ltd, with 92.6% of the shares , while Bristol Rovers Supporters Club owns the remaining 7.4%. In May 2016, the club recorded a second consecutive promotion by finishing in the final automatic promotion position in League Two after a 92nd-minute goal secured victory over Dagenham and Redbridge and Accrington Stanley failed to win on
2736-513: A new stadium, having been involved in discussions for 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 years prior. In October 2023, new owner Hussain AlSaeed confirmed that the club's proposed move to the site was off and they would instead be redeveloping the Memorial Stadium. The team traditionally draws the majority of its support from north and east Bristol and South Gloucestershire . Many towns and villages in
2880-475: A poor run of results Middleton was sacked by the club following an internal review later in March 2013. The 2013–14 season brought a return to form with Bristol Rugby finishing top of the championship table. However, Bristol failed to secure promotion to the premiership, losing both legs of the play-off finals to London Welsh. In the close season a number of players were signed to the club in expectation of promotion for
3024-530: A preferred or standard 68 metre width, this is often used unless a ground has been specifically designed to accommodate a 70-metre rugby field. 100 metres is the typical length, with a line (see below) often marked at halfway with "50" on it, representing 50 metres from each goal line. The variations have been allowed in the Laws, possibly to accommodate older grounds (perhaps even pre-metrification when yards and feet were specified) and developing nations. The field of play
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#17330861438813168-640: A pundit, is still a big fan of the club. Based on September 2014 statistics released by the Home Office , the Rovers fan base were named the Most Dangerous English Football fan base for the 2013–2014 season, with 57 arrests on the season, of which 35% were for "violent disorder." Particularly dangerous was the scene on 3 May 2014 when the Rovers were assured relegation from the Football League for
3312-599: A single goal against them in the competition en route to the final, but conceded the lead less than a minute after the final kicked off. Bristol Rovers's main rivals are city neighbours Bristol City , with whom they contest the Bristol derby . An in-depth report by the Football Pools in 2008 deemed this rivalry 8th fiercest rivalry in English football. The most recent encounter between the clubs as of March 2024 took place on 4 September 2013, which saw Rovers beaten by City in
3456-466: A successful penalty kick or a drop goal each score 3 points. The values of each of these scoring methods have been changed over the years. According to World Rugby's Laws of the Game, a typical rugby ground, formally known as the "playing enclosure", is formed by two major zones: The referee (and their assistants) generally have full authority and responsibility for all players and other officials inside
3600-520: A surprise win over Stade Rochelais in a 3–13 at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre through a try by forward Jordan Crane and a dogged defensive display. They finished second in their group before losing 39–15 to Stade Rochelais in the quarter-finals, ending their run in the tournament. On 29 November, it was confirmed that the Bears would be signing Semi Radradra ahead of the 2020/21 season, joining on
3744-719: Is "The Pirates", reflecting the maritime history of Bristol . The local nickname of the club is "The Gas", derived from the gasworks next to their former home, Eastville Stadium . Since 1996, the club has played home matches at the Memorial Stadium in Horfield . The club spent 89 years in the heart of North Bristol between 1897 and 1986 at the Eastville Stadium . Following a sale of the land they spent ten years at Twerton Park in Bath . The club's nickname: "The Gas" originally began as
3888-534: Is Chatswood Oval in Sydney, Australia, an elliptically shaped cricket ground which is the home of Gordon rugby club, that has curved dead-ball lines to maximise the available in-goal space. Where multiple sports share a field (e.g. a rugby league and a rugby union club sharing one field), lines may be overlaid on top of each other, sometimes in different colours. However, particularly for television, rugby union line markings are generally painted white. Some exceptions include
4032-452: Is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends. Rugby union is a popular sport around
4176-538: Is close to the M5 motorway . Rovers have owned the site formerly known as 'The Colony' and re-branded by the club 'The Quarters' since 2017, and, in June 2020, the club announced that it would be ready for the beginning of the 2020–21 season. On 3 August 2023, Kuwaiti businessman Hussain AlSaeed bought a controlling 55% share in Dwane Sports, the holding company for the football club, thus becoming chairman. As part of
4320-408: Is considered "out-of-bounds" for the ball and the players, normally resulting in the non-infringing team receiving possession of the ball at a restart. The perimeter area can be divided into two areas: For the purposes of determining if a ball is "out-of-bounds" (i.e. has left the playing area), the perimeter area extends indefinitely away from the playing area. When a ball or player goes into touch,
4464-445: Is divided by a solid "halfway" line, drawn perpendicular to the sidelines at their midpoint. A 0.5m line is marked perpendicular to the halfway lines at its midpoint, designating the spot where the kickoffs shall be taken. The areas between each goal line and the halfway line are known as "halves" as in other football codes. A pair of solid lines are also drawn perpendicular to the sidelines, 22 metres (formerly 25 yards) from each end of
Bristol Bears - Misplaced Pages Continue
4608-492: Is known informally, at the beginning of the 1996–97 season, initially as tenants but purchased it two years later. When Bristol Rovers were known as Black Arabs F.C. in 1883, they played their home games at Purdown , Stapleton . The following year they moved to Three Acres, the precise location of which is not known, but is believed to have been in the Ashley Down area of Bristol, where they remained for seven years. This
4752-506: Is synonymous with Rovers is " Goodnight, Irene ", which was written by Lead Belly . Opinions differ as to how this came about, but it is thought to have become popular in the 1950s when a version of the song was in the British charts—the line "sometimes I have a great notion to jump in the river and drown"—seemed to be particularly apt when Rovers lost, as the Bristol Frome flows alongside
4896-440: Is the third and final row of the forward positions, who are often referred to as the loose forwards. The three positions in the back row are the two flankers and the number 8 . The two flanker positions, known as the blindside flanker and openside flanker, are the final row in the scrum. They are usually the most mobile forwards in the game. Their main role is to win possession through 'turn overs'. The number 8 packs down between
5040-471: The 2007–08 season, when they faced West Bromwich Albion . They were the first Division Three team to win an FA Cup tie away to a Premier League side, when in 2002 they beat Derby County 3–1 at Pride Park Stadium . They have twice reached the final of the Football League Trophy , in 1989–90 and 2006–07 , but finished runners-up on both occasions. On the second occasion they did not allow
5184-470: The 2007–08 season in 9th place. They also failed to progress from their Heineken Cup group, despite a home win against Stade Français . The following season Bristol struggled, winning only two games, and were relegated from the premiership. Richard Hill stepped down as coach in February 2009, with two months and eight games of the season remaining. Paul Hull took over as Bristol's head coach. Following
5328-417: The 2008–09 season, a special third strip, which was black with a gold sash, and a reproduction of the original Black Arab shirt, was used for a single match to celebrate the club's 125th anniversary. The team began playing in black shirts with a yellow sash from their foundation in 1883 as Black Arabs F.C. until 1885, by which time they were called Eastville Rovers. For the next fourteen years, until 1899,
5472-441: The 2020-21 season. The highest position in the football ladder reached by Rovers at the end of season is sixth place in the second tier, which they achieved twice; once in 1955–56 , and again in 1958–59 . The closest they came to the top flight was in 1955–56, when they ended the season just four points below the promotion positions. The lowest league position achieved by the club is twenty-third out of twenty-four teams in
5616-530: The 2023–24 League One season, a 3–1 victory, and Forest Green Rovers in the 2022–23 League One season (a 3–1 away victory). Other clubs in the West country such as Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City have also been considered rivals despite being further away from Bristol (162 km for Plymouth and 104 km for Exeter). Bristol Rovers last played Plymouth in the 2022–23 League One season where Rovers lost 2–0 away from home and they last played Exeter at home in
5760-563: The AJ Bell , and dramatically defeating longstanding rivals Bath Rugby 12–11 at home. Following their relegation, several notable signings moved away from the club, including Jason Woodward to Gloucester Rugby and Gavin Henson to Newport Gwent Dragons . On 5 December 2016, it was announced that Pat Lam would become the new head coach for Bristol Rugby after leaving the Irish region Connacht ahead of
5904-907: The Bunnings NPC in New Zealand, the League One in Japan and the Currie Cup in South Africa. Other transnational club competitions include the United Rugby Championship of club teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, European Rugby Champions Cup in Europe, and Super Rugby in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Primitive forms of football included harpastum , played by
Bristol Bears - Misplaced Pages Continue
6048-687: The Division Three (South) Cup in 1934–35 , as well as winning or sharing the Gloucestershire Cup on 32 occasions. The team has never played in European competition; the closest Rovers came was when they missed out on reaching the international stage of the Anglo-Italian Cup in the 1992–93 season on a coin toss held over the phone with West Ham United . In the FA Cup , Rovers have reached
6192-470: The Gallagher Premiership with a home tie against Bath Rugby . This resulted in a 43–16 win for the Bears and included a try on his senior debut for Ioan Lloyd who came on as a replacement at full back. The season continued with a loss to Harlequin F.C. away before a home win against Sale and a memorable away win at Sandy Park against the eventual champions, Exeter Chiefs . December brought
6336-504: The Tesco bag shirts because of their similarity to the design used for the company's carrier bags. The change in design prompted the Trump ton Times fanzine to change its name to Wot, No Quarters? The black and gold shirts were also used as the away kit for the 2002–03 season, the club's 120th anniversary. In 2005, Rovers ran an April Fools' joke on their official website, stating that
6480-849: The Third Division in 2001, the club designated the squad number 12 to the Gasheads, to signify them as the club's 12th Man in recognition of their loyal support. The retired Conservative MP for Hayes and Harlington Terry Dicks was a Bristol Rovers fan. He mentioned the club in parliament ("now struggling in the second division of the Endsleigh league") on 5 May 1994 when debating with Labour MP and Chelsea fan Tony Banks . Other notable fans are local musicians Roni Size and Geoff Barrow of Portishead and writer David Goldblatt . Former Bristol Rovers player and manager, Ian Holloway , who also managed QPR and Blackpool as well as featuring as
6624-646: The Third Division South the following year and remained there until winning promotion as champions in 1952–53. They recorded their highest finishing positions in 1956 and 1959, a sixth-place finish in the Second Division , before suffering relegation in 1962. Promoted in second-place in 1973–74, they spent another seven seasons in the second tier until relegation in 1981. They won the Third Division title in 1989–90, though this time lasted just three seasons in
6768-437: The fourth tier , which has occurred twice. In the 2001–02 season, relegation from the Football League was narrowly avoided on two counts; firstly they ended just one league position above the relegation zone, and secondly the rules were changed the following season to increase the number of relegation places to two, meaning that if Rovers had finished in that position one year later they would have been relegated. This position
6912-404: The takeover , all debt owed to the company was capitalised. On 22 November 2024, AlSaeed reached an agreement to purchase the remaining 45% of shares owned by both Wael and Samer al-Qadi, the acquistion to be completed over an eighteen-month period. The only major cup competition won by Bristol Rovers is the 1972 Watney Cup , when they beat Sheffield United in the final. The club also won
7056-456: The 1830s, "running in" with the ball in hand was allowed but subject to hacking and "collaring". Former Rugby School student Albert Pell is credited with having formed the first "football" team while a student at Cambridge University . Major private schools each used different rules during this early period, with former pupils from Rugby and Eton attempting to carry their preferred rules through to their universities. A significant event in
7200-399: The 2014–15 season, including Samoan Internationals Anthony Perenise Jack Lam & David Lemi , Welsh internationals Matthew Morgan , Ian Evans , Ryan Jones and Dwayne Peel and Wing George Watkins return from Cardiff Blues mid season. Further signings for the 2014–15 season would feature Gareth Maule , Jack O'Connell , Darren Hudson and Gavin Henson . Bristol Rugby moved from
7344-486: The 2016–17 season. Tusi Pisi signed for the club from Japan's Sunwolves Super Rugby franchise in March. Head coach Sean Holley resigned from his position at the club. Former Welsh internationals Jonathan Thomas appointed as first team defence coach and Dwayne Peel as backs and skills coach. Further signings include USA international centre Thretton Palamo from Saracens and Tongan international prop Soane Tongaʻuiha from French side Oyonnax . November 2016 saw
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#17330861438817488-430: The 2017–18 season. Notable signings ahead of the new season were Australian International Luke Morahan from Western Force and All Black Steven Luatua from Blues . Bristol secured promotion in the 2017-18 RFU Championship with two games to spare on 7 April 2018 and ultimately finished top with only one defeat at the hands of Jersey Reds on 4 March 2018. Bristol finished 20 points ahead of Ealing Trailfinders and
7632-403: The 2023–24 season when they lost 1–0. Bristol Rovers are known for their distinctive blue and white quartered shirts, which they have worn for most of their history. The current home kit consists of a light blue and white quartered shirt and white shorts, while the away kit is mainly grey with black accents. The away strip raises attention for blindness, and features braille on the body. During
7776-700: The Eastville Restaurant in Bristol in September 1883. It was initially called Black Arabs F.C., after the Arabs rugby team and the predominantly black kits in which they played. This name only lasted for the 1883–84 season, and in a bid to draw more fans from the local area the club was renamed Eastville Rovers in 1884. Football: Wotton-under-Edge v Black Arabs (Bristol). A match under association rules has been played at Wotton-under-Edge between these clubs, resulting in
7920-687: The FA Women's National League. The club was founded in 1883 as Black Arabs F.C. and entered the Bristol & District League as Eastville Rovers in 1892. The club moved to the Birmingham & District League in 1897, then changed divisions to the Southern League as Bristol Rovers in 1899. They won the Southern League in 1904–05 and were admitted to the Football League in 1920. They were placed in
8064-506: The Laws: Generally, points where the dashed lines intersect other lines will be marked with a "T" or cross shape, although the extensions of dashed lines are generally not drawn within 5 metres of the goal lines or sidelines, to allow a clear demarcation of the field of play's boundaries. The Laws require the playing area to be rectangular in shape, however variations may be permitted with the approval of relevant unions. A notable example
8208-514: The Memorial Stadium to Ashton Gate Stadium , the home of Bristol City Football Club . Ashton Gate Stadium had a capacity of 21,497. In the run-in to the end of season play-off's the club signed high-profile players in Hooker Ross McMillan , Italian Centre Tommaso Benvenuti and Welsh international Gavin Henson . End of the season saw the departure of Forwards Coach Danny Wilson to Cardiff Blues . The Club again failed to earn promotion to
8352-754: The New Zealand team touring Europe. Traditionally the most prestigious tours were the Southern Hemisphere countries of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa making a tour of a Northern Hemisphere, and the return tours made by a joint British and Irish team. Tours would last for months, due to long traveling times and the number of games undertaken; the 1888 New Zealand team began their tour in Hawkes Bay in June and did not complete their schedule until August 1889, having played 107 rugby matches. Touring international sides would play Test matches against international opponents, including national, club and county sides in
8496-534: The Premiership for the 2015–16 season losing by one point to Worcester Warriors in the Play-off Finals. At the end of the season Wales international fly half Nicky Robinson leaves the club to take up a fresh challenge in France with Oyonnax . Much of the squad from the previous season remained with Andy Robinson bolstering his options for the new campaign by signing ex-England winger Tom Varndell . On 4 February it
8640-484: The Premiership meaning an away semi final against Wasps. Bristol lost this 47–24 to finish with a domestic record of 14 wins, 1 draw and 7 losses. A total of 561 points were scored and 457 conceded. In the Challenge Cup, Bristol finished top of their group and were given a home quarter final against Welsh side Dragons . Bristol ran in seven tries to win 56–17. This set up a home semi final against Bordeaux Bègles which
8784-472: The Romans, where two opposing teams competed to throw a large ball into an opposition net, fighting for possession of the ball. Medieval Irishmen played caid , carrying an inflated bladder and using arched trees as goals. The Welsh played an inter-parish game using a wooden ball called cnapan . Frenchmen played soule and Georgians played lelo. "Football" as a game was well established by 1803 at Rugby School and by
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#17330861438818928-504: The Stadium the night before a home game against Plymouth Argyle in the 1950s. During the game the following day, Rovers were winning quite comfortably and the few Argyle supporters present began to leave early prompting a chorus of "Goodnight Argyle" from the Rovers supporters—the tune stuck and "Irene" became the club song. Another popular Bristol Rovers song is "Tote End Boys", which was written and sung by Ben Gunstone. The name derives from
9072-586: The Third Division to the Second Division, again in 1989–90 as Division Three champions, in 2006–07 to the Football League One, in 2014–15 to League Two from the Conference Premier, in 2015–16 to League One and then in 2021-22 to League One from League Two. The club has been relegated seven times—in 1961–62 , 1980–81 , 1992–93 , 2000–01 , 2010–11 , 2013–14 and most recently at the end of
9216-523: The United States , Canada and Eastern Europe , its growth occurring during the expansion of the British Empire and through French proponents ( Rugby Europe ) in Europe. Countries that have adopted rugby union as their de facto national sport include Fiji , Georgia, Madagascar , New Zealand, Samoa , Tonga , and Wales . International matches have taken place since 1871 when the first game
9360-475: The Wallabies (Australia's national team) who often have yellow markings. Local clubs may use black, yellow, or other colours on grass, with other surfaces possibly requiring different marking techniques. Unlike association football, where on-field advertising is strictly forbidden in the laws, World Rugby allows sponsors logos to be painted on the playing surface. This is another way in which clubs can make money in
9504-431: The backs and the forwards is that the backs are expected to have superior kicking and ball-handling skills, especially the fly-half, scrum-half, and full-back. The half-backs consist of two positions, the scrum-half and the fly-half , also known in the Southern Hemisphere as half-back and first five-eighth respectively. The fly-half is crucial to a team's game plan, orchestrating the team's performance. They are usually
9648-422: The ball is kicked into touch by a player who had at least one foot on or behind their own 22-metre line, the line-out formed at the spot where the ball crossed the touch-line instead of being taken in line with the spot from where it was kicked. Additional broken or dashed lines (of 5 metre dash lengths, according to the Laws ) are drawn in each half or on each side of, the field, each with specific purposes under
9792-417: The ball. Forwards play a vital role in tackling and rucking opposing players. Players in these positions are generally bigger and stronger and take part in the scrum and line-out. The forwards are often collectively referred to as the 'pack', especially when in the scrum formation. The front row consists of three players: two props (the loosehead prop and the tighthead prop) and the hooker . The role of
9936-578: The case of Northern Hemisphere rugby, or provincial/state sides in the case of Southern Hemisphere rugby. Between 1905 and 1908, all three major Southern Hemisphere rugby countries sent their first touring teams to the Northern Hemisphere: New Zealand in 1905, followed by South Africa in 1906 and Australia in 1908. All three teams brought new styles of play, fitness levels and tactics, and were far more successful than critics had expected. The New Zealand 1905 touring team performed
10080-527: The city. The current head coach Pat Lam was appointed in 2017. In the 2023–24 season Bristol finished 5th entitling them to compete in the 2024-25 European Rugby Champions Cup . In 2018, the club rebranded as Bristol Bears ; between 2001 and 2005 the club were known as Bristol Shoguns due to a sponsorship deal with Mitsubishi . Bristol won the 1983 John Player Cup and have also won England's second division four times, most recently in 2017–18 . In 2019–2020, Bristol won The European Challenge Cup for
10224-421: The city. Thus Bristol had readily available players when peacetime rugby union resumed in 1945. The playing record in the early fifties was mixed, but there was a huge improvement under the captaincy of first Bert MacDonald, and then Dick Hawkes. Records were broken in 1956–57 and even better was to follow in what has been called 'The Blake Era'. Fly half John Blake became captain in 1957 and under his leadership
10368-407: The club and the university, and attention returned to redeveloping the Memorial Stadium. In 2017, there was a crowd recording at the Memorial Stadium for Early Man , a 2018 Aardaman film . In June 2020, the club began construction of a new training facility at a site on Hortham Lane, Almondsbury near the M5 motorway . The site is set to include two full size pitches, a goalkeeping area,
10512-407: The club badge and the badge of the supporters club, reflecting the club nickname of The Pirates. Previous club badges have featured a blue and white quartered design, based on the quartered design of the team's jerseys. Rovers first used Bukta as an official kit supplier in 1977, and Great Mills as the first kit sponsor followed 1981. Rovers' longest running kit supplier is Errea who supplied
10656-524: The club developed an entertaining running style of rugby involving backs and forwards, which was years ahead of its time. The Bristol club set and broke new records for wins in a season and points scored and goal kicking forward Gordon Cripps rewrote the individual points scoring records. The 75th anniversary was celebrated in 1962–63 and floodlights were installed in the following season. Club form peaked in 1965–66 under Derek Neate's captaincy when 39 games were won, and again in 1971–72 under Tony Nicholls. This
10800-554: The club from potential oblivion. Bristol also lost control of the Memorial Stadium Company to Bristol Rovers and were tenants thereafter until their eventual departure from the stadium at the conclusion of the 2013–14 season. Bristol's first season outside the top flight brought with it a number of first-time visits to clubs. Bristol went on to win the Premiership Two title and promotion back to Premiership One , sealing
10944-457: The club in 2012. In the 2012–13 season Bristol missed out on the play-off finals, finishing fifth in the championship. At the end of the 2012–13 season it was announced that former Ospreys head coach Sean Holley would join Bristol Rugby as the first team coach. Andy Robinson joined Bristol Rugby as director of rugby in March 2013, at first working with head coach Liam Middleton but following
11088-545: The club kits for eleven years (2005–16). The club's longest running kit sponsorship was from local company Cowlin Construction , who sponsored the club for 11 years before ending the deal in 2009. Following the end of the Cowlin deal, sponsors were chosen by raffle, via the 1883 Club. This process lasted nine seasons before the club announced Football INDEX as new sponsors for both home and away kits. In 2019, Utilita become
11232-405: The club started 2005–06 in the Premiership as Bristol RFC. Bristol elected to play two 2006–07 games at Ashton Gate , home of football side Bristol City . The local derby against Bath and the game against Leicester were moved from the 11,750 capacity Memorial Stadium to Ashton Gate's 21,500 capacity to allow more fans the chance to watch the team. The precedent for this was established for
11376-570: The clubs that had favoured the Rugby Rules formed the Rugby Football Union in 1871, and their code became known as " rugby football ". In 1895, there was a major schism within rugby football in England in which numerous clubs from Northern England resigned from the RFU over the issue of reimbursing players for time lost from their workplaces. The split highlighted the social and class divisions in
11520-402: The crowd. "Gasheads" was adopted as a name by a splinter group of Rovers supporters in the mid-1980s to early 1990s. The chant "Proud to be a Gashead" spread to regular fans, and a fanzine was produced called The Gashead . The term "Gasheads" is now universally accepted within the English media and football fraternity as referring to Bristol Rovers supporters. After the club's relegation to
11664-744: The cup with a 32–19 win and their first ever major European title Gold background denotes champions Silver background denotes runners-up Pink background denotes relegated The Bristol Bears squad for the 2024–25 season is: Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality. The Bristol Bears Academy squad is: Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality. Management First team coaching Academy Bristol Bears Women Rugby union Rugby union football , commonly known simply as rugby union or often just rugby ,
11808-470: The defeat of the visiting team. The home team were in every point superior to their antagonists and after a one-sided game Wotton were declared victors by six goals to nil. The club played only friendly games until the 1887–88 season, when it took part in the Gloucestershire Cup for the first time. In 1892, the club became a founder member of the Bristol and District League, which three years later
11952-489: The early development of rugby football was the production of a written set of rules at Rugby School in 1845, followed by the Cambridge Rules that were drawn up in 1848. Formed in 1863, the national governing body The Football Association (FA) began codifying a set of universal football rules. These new rules specifically banned players from running with the ball in hand and also disallowed hacking (kicking players in
12096-519: The end of the 2015–16 season. They were relegated from the third tier in 2020–21 but returned at the first attempt claiming the final automatic promotion spot to League One . Rovers have won the Gloucestershire Cup 32 times, the Third Division South Cup in 1932, the Watney Cup in 1972, and have been Football League Trophy finalists two times. The club was formed following a meeting at
12240-480: The field are divided into eight forwards (two more than in rugby league ) and seven backs . There are typically significantly more forwards on the bench than backs with, for example, South Africa having a 7-1 split in favour of forwards in their August 2023 match against New Zealand in Twickenham. A 6-2 or 5-3 split is more common. The main responsibilities of the forward players are to gain and retain possession of
12384-401: The field of play and called the 22-metre lines, or "22"s. An area at each end, also known as the "22", is bounded by, but does not include, the sidelines, goal line and 22-metre line. In this area, a defensive player who cleanly catches a ball kicked by the other team, without the ball having already touched the ground after the kick, is entitled to claim a free kick, or " mark ". Additionally, if
12528-493: The field to accommodate fitter and faster (or heavier) players. Fixed cameras on tripods and advertising hoardings are often the main culprits for injuring players in the perimeter area. Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club in Bristol , England. The first team competes in League One , the third tier of the English football league system . The club's official nickname
12672-532: The final day of the season. It marked the first time Rovers had reached the third tier of English Football since relegation in 2011. In June 2020, it was announced that president Wael al-Qadi had bought a controlling stake in Dwane Sports Ltd, after he bought the shares of other members of his family, while it was also announced that the club's debt would be capitalised and a new training facility would begin construction at Hortham Lane, Almondsbury , which
12816-420: The first laws were written by pupils at Rugby School; other significant events in the early development of rugby include the decision by Blackheath F.C. to leave The Football Association in 1863 and, in 1895, the split between rugby union and rugby league . Historically rugby union was an amateur sport, but in 1995 formal restrictions on payments to players were removed, making the game openly professional at
12960-485: The first time. The Rovers fans have good relations with Spanish club CE Sabadell FC , which initially began due to several Rovers fans noticing that the club had the same colours. In July 2016, the clubs played each other in a pre-season match in Spain. One Bristol Rovers print fanzine is currently active and is entitled Last Saturday Night . There is also a fan-run podcast and blog called GasCast . The song which
13104-458: The first time. Bristol Football Club was formed in 1888 when the Carlton club merged with rival club Redland Park to create a united Bristol team. Westbury Park having refused to merge then folded and many of its players subsequently joined Bristol. The County Cricket Ground at Nevil Road was leased for home matches. The first match was a heavy away defeat to Cardiff and although the first season
13248-425: The first to receive the ball from the scrum-half following a breakdown, lineout, or scrum, and need to be decisive with what actions to take and be effective at communicating with the outside backs. Many fly-halves are also their team's goal kickers. The scrum-half is the link between the forwards and the backs. They receive the ball from the lineout and remove the ball from the back of the scrum, usually passing it to
13392-537: The fly-half. They also feed the scrum and sometimes have to act as a fourth loose forward. There are four three quarter positions: two centres (inside and outside) and two wings (left and right). In the Southern Hemisphere, the inside centre is commonly referred to as the second five-eighth, while the outside centre is simply known as the centre. The centres will attempt to tackle attacking players; whilst in attack, they should employ speed and strength to breach opposition defences. The wings are generally positioned on
13536-414: The goal lines, equivalent to American football's "end zones". The in-goal areas must be between 6 and 22 metres (6.6 and 24.1 yards) deep and cover the full width of the field. A ball grounded in this area by an attacking player will generally result in a try being awarded, unless there has been a previous infringement, or the player has gone out-of-bounds whilst in possession of the ball. The perimeter area
13680-651: The highest level for the first time. Rugby union spread from the Home Nations of the United Kingdom and Ireland , with other early exponents of the sport including Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and France . The sport is followed primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Pacific Islands - Fiji , Tonga , Samoa , Georgia , Oceania , Southern Africa , Argentina , and in recent times also, Italy , Japan , South America ,
13824-712: The home of Bath City . They stayed in Bath for 10 years, before returning to Bristol in 1996. Rovers also played five home games at Ashton Gate Stadium , home of rivals Bristol City, following a fire which destroyed the South Stand of the Eastville Stadium on the night of the 16–17 August 1980. Rovers returned to Eastville in October 1980. During World War II , some friendly matches were played in Kingswood , and in their early history some games were played at Parson Street, Bedminster In January 2007, planning permission
13968-502: The main shirt sponsors of both the home and away kits for the 2019-2020 season, and the deal was then extended in July 2020 to cover the 2020-2021 season, marking the first time a shirt sponsor had lasted for more than one season since the end of the Cowlin sponsorship in 2009. Rovers play their home games at the Memorial Stadium in Horfield , a ground they formerly shared with Bristol Rugby . The team moved to The Mem, as it
14112-414: The most important attributes of a good full-back are dependable catching skills and a good kicking game. Rugby union is played between two teams – the one that scores more points wins the game. Points can be scored in several ways: a try , scored by grounding the ball in the in-goal area (between the goal line and the dead-ball line), is worth 5 points and a subsequent conversion kick scores 2 points;
14256-486: The newly formed Southern League , where they remained until 1920, winning the league title along the way in 1905. For the 1920–21 season, the Southern League teams were moved into the new Division Three of the Football League , which became Division Three (South) the following season. They remained in this division for over 30 years, before winning the league, and promotion in the 1952–53 season. The team has won promotion on six other occasions: in 1973–74 from
14400-409: The old Eastville ground. It is believed that John Clapham is responsible for the song as he used to work at Eastville stadium for the greyhound racing and the last record he would play at the end of the night was "Goodnight Irene" also having a daughter called Irene, the record would then be left in the player and was played at the football. Another theory is that it was sung at a fireworks display at
14544-414: The outside of the backline. Their primary function is to finish off moves and score tries. Wings are usually the fastest players in the team and are elusive runners who use their speed to avoid tackles. The full-back is normally positioned several metres behind the back line. They often field opposition kicks and are usually the last line of defence should an opponent break through the back line. Two of
14688-500: The players look larger and more intimidating. Rovers continued to wear the quarters for 31 years, until they were replaced by blue pinstripes on a white background. Over the next ten years, Rovers went on to wear blue and white stripes, all blue, and blue shirts with white shorts before returning to the blue and white quarters in 1973, which have remained the colours ever since. During the 1996–97 season, Rovers wore an unpopular striped quartered design, prompting fans to refer to it as
14832-440: The playing area and perimeter area, although depending on how large the perimeter is, other surfaces such as dirt, artificial turf, etc. may be used outside of a "sliding" perimeter from the bounds of the playing area. For the most part, the "playing area" is where the majority of play occurs. The ball is generally considered live whilst in this area, so long as players do not infringe, with special rules applied to specific zones of
14976-442: The playing area. The playing area consists of: A typical "field of play" is generally 100 metres long by 68–70 metres wide for senior rugby, depending on the specific requirements of each ground. The Laws require the field of play to be between 94 and 100 metres (103 and 109 yards) long, with a width of between 68 and 70 metres (74 and 77 yards). As other football codes, such as association football and rugby league, have specified
15120-432: The playing enclosure. Fences or ropes (particularly at amateur clubs) are generally used to mark the extent of this area, although in modern stadia this may include the entire arena floor or other designated space. The Laws, above all, require that the playing enclosure's surface be safe, whilst also permitting grass, sand, clay, snow or conforming artificial turf to be used; the surface would generally be uniform across both
15264-699: The pre-1995 period of rugby union was marked by frequent accusations of " shamateurism ", including an investigation in Britain by a House of Commons Select committee in early 1995. Following the introduction of professionalism trans-national club competitions were started, with the Heineken Cup in the Northern Hemisphere and Super Rugby in the Southern Hemisphere. The Tri Nations , an annual international tournament involving Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, kicked off in 1996. In 2012 , this competition
15408-415: The professional era and is also often used by host nations, professional leagues and tournaments as additional revenue streams, particularly when games are broadcast. In recent years, augmented reality technology has been used to replace painting to protect the surface or save costs on painting fields, producing a similar effect for broadcast albeit sometimes with poorer results. The in-goal areas sit behind
15552-399: The quarter-final stage on three occasions. The first time was in 1950–51 when they faced Newcastle United at St James' Park in front of a crowd of 62,787, the record for the highest attendance at any Bristol Rovers match. The second time they reached the quarter final was in 1957–58 , when they lost to Fulham , and the most recent appearance at this stage of the competition was during
15696-425: The right to throw-in. The perimeter area should be clear and free of obstructions and heavy, solid objects which could pose a danger to players for at least 5 metres from the playing area, according to the Laws. Players often leave the playing area whether accidentally or due to being forced off of the field, sometimes sliding or needing to slow down from a sprint. Many venues at elite levels leave larger spaces around
15840-580: The sacking of Director of Rugby Andy Robinson due to poor results and 'lost confidence' from the board. Club stalwart and top points scorer Mark Tainton was appointed interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Further signings announced by club included Siale Piutau from Yamaha Jubio , Irish international lock forward Dan Tuohy , All Black international scrum half Alby Mathewson and Shane Geraghty from London Irish . On New Year's Day, 2017, Varndell equalled Mark Cueto's premiership tries record of 90 tries by scoring against Sale Sharks. This followed
15984-495: The same league was in the 1999–2000 season in the Second Division. The first time Rovers encountered Yeovil was a Football League Trophy match in October 2001, which Rovers won via a penalty shoot-out. The most recent encounter between the teams was in the EFL Trophy in October 2018, which Rovers won 2–0. As of September 2024, Rovers last played Swindon Town in October 2022 in the EFL Trophy (a 3–0 win), Cheltenham Town in
16128-568: The season was then interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and all rugby was suspended by the RFU on 17 March 2020. The season resumed on 15 August without any spectators with a home win against . By this time, the club had been joined by the new signings of Semi Radradra , England prop Kyle Sinckler from Harlequin F.C. and the Saracens loanees of Ben Earl and Max Malins . Eventually Bristol finished third in
16272-627: The season with the most bonus points in the Zurich Premiership , three players in the top try scorers chart, a place at Twickenham in the final of the play-offs (the year before winning the play-offs constituted winning the English title), and also a place in the Heineken Cup for the 2002–03 season. In the close season head coach Dean Ryan moved to Gloucester , Jack Rowell resigned as Director of Rugby whilst skipper Jason Little retired. Peter Thorburn took over as coach. League results were mixed, but there were more wins than defeats including
16416-624: The second tier and were relegated back into the fourth tier by 2001. Rovers won the League Two play-off final in 2007 , but relegations in 2011 and 2014 saw the club drop into the Conference Premier . They finished second in the Conference under the stewardship of Darrell Clarke and immediately regained their Football League status with victory in the 2015 play-off final . They followed up this success by securing promotion out of League Two at
16560-574: The shins), both of which were legal and common tactics under the Rugby School's rules of the sport. In protest at the imposition of the new rules, the Blackheath Club left the FA followed by several other clubs that also favoured the "Rugby Rules". Although these clubs decided to ban hacking soon afterwards, the split was permanent, and the FA's codified rules became known as " association football " whilst
16704-427: The sport in England. Although the rules of the game were not a factor in the split, the breakaway teams subsequently adopted some rule changes and this became the separate code of " rugby league ". The RFU's code thereafter took on the name "rugby union" to differentiate it from rugby league, but both versions of the sport are known simply as "rugby" throughout most of the world. The first rugby football international
16848-479: The start of the 2003–04 season Martin Haag and a week later Richard Hill joined as first team coach and head coach respectively. While the board were raising money to stabilise the club Haag and Hill implemented a 'three-year plan' to rebuild Bristol and put them back in the Premiership . They won National League One the following year and were promoted. The club's deal with Mitsubishi expired in July 2005, and
16992-490: The surrounding area are also home to significant pockets of Rovers supporters. The nickname given to Bristol Rovers supporters is "Gasheads". "The Gas" was originally coined as a derogatory term by the supporters of Bristol Rovers's rivals Bristol City, and was in reference to the large gas works adjacent to the old Bristol Rovers stadium, in Eastville , Bristol which wafted the sometimes overpowering odour of town gas across
17136-432: The tallest players in the team and specialise as line-out jumpers. The main role of the lock in line-outs is to make a standing jump, often supported by the other forwards, to either collect the thrown ball or ensure the ball comes down on their side. Locks also have an important role in the scrum, binding directly behind the three front row players and providing forward drive. The back row, not to be confused with 'Backs',
17280-430: The team wore blue and white hooped shirts. These were replaced by black and white striped shirts until 1919. When Rovers were admitted to The Football League in 1920 they wore white shirts with blue shorts. These remained the team colours until 1930, when the colours were reversed to blue shirts and white shorts for one season. The blue and white quarters were first worn in 1931, when they were introduced to try to make
17424-450: The team's new away strip would be all pink. Although this was intended to be a joke, a number of fans petitioned the club to get the kit made for real, and also suggested that funds raised through the sale of the pink shirts should be donated to a breast cancer charity. Although the pink shirts were never used in a competitive fixture, they were worn for a pre-season friendly against Plymouth Argyle in 2006. A pirate features on both
17568-494: The top English and Welsh sides. In 1900 J. W. Jarman became Bristol's first England cap. Two major touring sides played Bristol during this period. The first New Zealand All Blacks defeated the club 41–0 in 1905 and in 1909 a combined Bristol and Clifton RFC team, captained by Percy Down , lost to Australia 11–3. The club was beginning to bring on a new generation of players when the First World War halted all rugby. After
17712-424: The two locks at the back of the scrum. The role of the number 8 in the scrum is to control the ball after it has been heeled back from the front of the pack, and the position provides a link between the forwards and backs during attacking phases. The role of the backs is to create and convert point-scoring opportunities. They are generally smaller, faster and more agile than the forwards. Another distinction between
17856-453: The two props is to support the hooker during scrums, to provide support for the jumpers during line-outs and to provide strength and power in rucks and mauls. The third position in the front row is the hooker. The hooker is a key position in attacking and defensive play and is responsible for winning the ball in the scrum. Hookers normally throw the ball in at line-outs. The second row consists of two locks or lock forwards. Locks are usually
18000-503: The war a Bristol United side was formed to provide rugby for returning servicemen and this led to the rebirth of Bristol in 1919. The County Ground was no longer available for home games so the club rented a field at Radnor Road, Horfield although occasional matches were staged at the Bristol City and Bristol Rovers grounds. The Radnor Road seasons were good ones for the club and a new crop of stars appeared. The Memorial Ground stadium
18144-429: The win with a 22–11 victory over Worcester . The World Cup disrupted the early part of the 1999–00 season, with a number of players missing the first few games. Under the captaincy of Dean Ryan the team finished sixth, just missing out on European Cup qualification. At the end of the season Dean Ryan took over as head coach from Bob Dwyer . After an opening day victory over newly promoted Rotherham , Bristol had
18288-591: The world, played by people regardless of gender, age or size. In 2023, there were more than 10 million people playing worldwide, of whom 8.4 million were registered players. World Rugby , previously called the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) and the International Rugby Board (IRB), has been the governing body for rugby union since 1886, and currently has 116 countries as full members and 18 associate members. In 1845,
18432-478: Was announced that New Zealander Mark Bakewell would replace Borthwick. The new year saw the announcement that Matthew Morgan to further his international chances was to be leaving the club at the end of the season and joining Danny Wilson at Cardiff Blues. However, Bristol were able to clinch promotion to Aviva Premiership with a 60–47 aggregate win over Doncaster . February 2016 saw the signing of Wales International scrum half Rhodri Williams from Scarlets for
18576-411: Was built on an area of land called Buffalo Bill's Field which was previously occupied by allotments in 1921. Bristol defeated Cardiff 19–3 in the opening match in front of a large crowd. The fiftieth anniversary was celebrated in 1938 but the next few years saw a fall in performances and the final inter-war season was a poor one. During World War II a Bristol Supporters team kept rugby union going in
18720-489: Was celebrated in style with a game against the Barbarians and a narrow defeat in the cup final. In 1996, Bristol Rovers moved into the Memorial Stadium as tenants of Bristol Rugby, and later took over ownership of the stadium through the Memorial Stadium Company. 1998–99 ( Premiership Two ) Relegation to Premiership Two in 1998 was not the worst of Bristol's problems. Only an eleventh hour rescue by Malcolm Pearce saved
18864-463: Was extended to include Argentina , a country whose impressive performances in international games (especially finishing in third place in the 2007 Rugby World Cup) was deemed to merit inclusion in the competition. As a result of the expansion to four teams, the tournament was renamed The Rugby Championship. Each team starts the match with 15 players on the field and typically seven or eight substitutes but this varies at amateur level. The 15 players on
19008-487: Was followed by brief stays at the Schoolmasters Cricket Ground, Durdham Down and Ridgeway. For the majority of their history, Bristol Rovers have played their home games at the Eastville Stadium , where they remained for a period of 89 years from 1897 to 1986. Financial problems led to the team being forced to leave Eastville, now it is an IKEA Store. Bristol Rovers found a temporary home at Twerton Park,
19152-464: Was granted for a new 18,500 capacity all-seater stadium to be built on the site of the Memorial Stadium. The project was abandoned after a series of delays. In June 2011, the club announced its intention to relocate the club to a new 21,700 all-seater stadium on the University of the West of England 's Frenchay campus. The planned UWE Stadium was shelved in August 2017 due to disputes between
19296-629: Was held at Murrayfield in 1993. Rugby Sevens was introduced into the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and was added to the Olympic Games of 2016. Both men and women's Sevens took place at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Rugby union was an amateur sport until the IRB declared the game "open" in August 1995 (shortly after the completion of the 1995 World Cup), removing restrictions on payments to players. However,
19440-518: Was included as an event in the Olympic Games four times during the early 20th century. No international rugby games and union-sponsored club matches were played during the First World War, but competitions continued through service teams such as the New Zealand Army team . During the Second World War no international matches were played by most countries, though Italy, Germany and Romania played
19584-471: Was matched at the end of the 2013–14 season , which this time saw Rovers relegated to the Conference for the first time. They returned to the league at the end of their first Conference season , with a penalty shootout victory over Grimsby Town in the play-off final . In February 2016, it was announced that a 92% stake in the club had been bought by the Jordanian al-Qadi family, and that Wael al-Qadi ,
19728-512: Was played between Scotland and England at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. The Rugby World Cup , first held in 1987, is held every four years. The Six Nations Championship in Europe and The Rugby Championship in the Southern Hemisphere are other important international competitions that are held annually. National club and provincial competitions include the Premiership in England, the Top 14 in France,
19872-629: Was played on 27 March 1871 between Scotland and England in Edinburgh . Scotland won the game by one goal and one try to one goal. By 1881 both Ireland and Wales had representative teams and in 1883 the first international competition, the Home Nations Championship had begun. 1883 is also the year of the first rugby sevens tournament, the Melrose Sevens , which is still held annually. Two important overseas tours took place in 1888:
20016-642: Was re-branded as the Bristol Bears following their return to the Premiership. The club announced a raft of new signings including the All Blacks full back Charles Piutau from Ulster Rugby , former All Blacks Prop John Afoa from Gloucester Rugby and Hooker Harry Thacker from Leicester Tigers . The opening match of the 2018–19 Premiership Rugby season was against fierce rivals Bath Rugby at Ashton Gate . A crowd of over 26,000 watched Bristol Bears run out 17–10 victors over their old foe. The winning try
20160-412: Was relatively successful the second was not with only three games won. The club went from strength to strength over the next few years under the captaincy of W. Tommy Thomson. It turned the corner and in 1891–92, now wearing the more familiar navy and white hooped shirts, the Bristol team won 20 games out of 24. Over the ensuing seasons the fixture list went from strength to strength, consisting of most of
20304-526: Was renamed the Western League . In 1897, Eastville Rovers joined the Birmingham and District League , and for two seasons played in both this league and the Western League. At the beginning of the 1897–98 season, the club turned professional and changed its name to Bristol Eastville Rovers , and, on 17 February 1899, the name was officially changed to Bristol Rovers . In 1899, Bristol Rovers joined
20448-603: Was scored by Alapati Leiua with four penalties scored by Irish International fly half Ian Madigan . Bristol finished the season in 9th place including nine victories (one over Bath, Harlequins , Northampton Saints , Gloucester and Saracens and two over Leicester Tigers and Newcastle Falcons ). In Europe , Bristol were drawn in Pool 4 of the Challenge Cup with the other teams being Stade Rochelais , Zebre and Yenisey-STM Krasnoyarsk . On 15 December 2018, Bristol recorded
20592-459: Was the club's best ever season with a thousand points being scored for the first time and the team being crowned unofficial English and Anglo-Welsh champions. Under Mike Rafter's captaincy, the club won the John Player Cup in 1983, defeating Leicester 28–22. During this period Alan Morley established a world record of 479 tries in senior rugby. The centenary season with Nigel Pomphrey as captain
20736-544: Was won by the home side 37–20 after extra time. In the final they faced former European Champions, Toulon at Stade Maurice David in Aix-en-Provence. Bristol scored the fastest try in European Rugby final after just 15 second through a try from scrum half Harry Randall . A second try from Max Malins and points from the tee came from the two conversions and six penalties from the boot of Callum Sheedy to give Bristol
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