Rising Welsh teenage star Sisilia Tuipulotu set the ball rolling for the visitors with an early try and her lead was quickly followed by World Rugby player of the year Zoe Aldcroft as the Bears were given a mountain to climb.
Aldcroft was sent to the sin-bin as the Bears picked up a penalty try and Welsh scrum half Keira Bevan then caught the Gloucester defence napping as she took a quick tap and go and raced 20 metres to score a try that meant the game was still in the balance at the break with Bristol leading 14-12.
The second half was a different story as Gloucester piled on the pressure and the points as they motored to a stunning bonus-point, 36-14 win. It was only the second defeat of the season for the Bears.
The next day Saracens added to the Bears’ misery as they ran in 18 tries in a 104-0 massacre of DMP Durham Sharks at the StoneX Stadium. Wales hooker Kat Evans, playing in the back row, got in on the try-scoring for the home side, who were able to return to the top of the table thanks to their bonus-point win.
Sale Sharks went down 43-7 at home to Exeter Chiefs, leaving them in ninth place with only one win to date this season. The games between Wasps and Loughborough Lightning and Harlequins’ and Worcester Warriors were both postponed due to COVID.
Meanwhile, Gloucester’s Kingsholm Stadium, the venue for last season’s Premier15s final, will host the Six Nations game between England and Wales on Saturday, 9 April. It will be England’s first game at Gloucester and will be the first championship match between the two nations at Kingsholm since 1900, when Wales won 13-3.
“Kingsholm offers itself to both English and Welsh supporters. It’s a great venue full stop. The atmosphere at the Allianz Premier 15s final there earlier this year was tremendous,said England head coach Simon Middleton.
“It’s another hotbed with a passionate and vociferous crowd. It’ll be fantastic to get another game into another one of England’s great rugby stadiums and cities.
“We have plenty of connections within our player and staff group to both clubs and areas and we’re all looking forward to next spring.
“In a more general sense, Six Nations showed great innovation last year and have recognised the benefit of a stand-alone Women’s Six Nations. Getting the tournament on last year was massive and they deserve to be applauded.
“It worked really well. As a traditionalist, I do love the fact we’ve returned to the regular format and the schedule of games this year means we should hopefully see competitive games from start to finish.”
