28NOV09 GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP - Bath Rugby 0 - London Irish 16

Ryan Lamb's 'full house' of a try, conversion, two penalties and a 67th minute drop goal, was in sharp contrast to Bath's woeful performance last evening as visitors London Irish piled on Premiership misery at the Rec ...

In quite appalling weather conditions, bristolsport.net was there to capture the action and reaction ...

photos © UNiCOM

For a full match report and fixture list details see the BATH RUGBY website ...

17NOV09

Rugby Fan Stuart Tinner wins £250k at Wembley

Rugby fan Stuart Tinner struck it lucky at Wembley last evening winning a half time 'crossbar challenge' worth £250,000 at the Saracens v South Africa friendly.

In front of 47,000 spectators Stuart, a Job Centre worker living with his parents, hit the bar with the first kick of the competition ... barefoot from 30 metres.

Speaking shortly after being presented with his life changing cheque he remarked "This is the second best day of my life - the best was when I lost my virginity!"

The game itself, equally as thrilling, saw Saracens run out 23-23 winners after a clinical drop kick from Derick Hougaard found its mark with six minutes left on the clock.

PAULTON ROVERS 0 - NORWICH CITY 7

Paulton Rovers bowed out of the FA Cup after Norwich City put seven goals past them at Winterfield Rd.

The Zamaretto League club players battled long and hard but were simply unable to match the skill and stamina of their League One visitors. For a full match report see Bristol24-7

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ACTION GALLERIES

Banahan breaks the deadlock

ENGLAND 16 - ARGENTINA 9

Bath's Matt Banahan scored England's first try of the season to give his side a 16-9 victory over Argentina at Twickenham on Saturday after Martin Johnson's team had been booed off the field by its own fans at halftime.

photos © Andrew Tobin

A late surge from Bath's six-foot-seven winger Matt Banahan [above] saved the day for England after a lacklustre afternoon of rugby from Johnson's squad. Referring to the fans reaction, after the game Johnson said glumly .. "We probably deserved it" ... "They had every right not to be happy."

'MR DOWNS LEAGUE' HONOURED

Mervyn Baker has been honoured by the Football Association for 50 years of loyal service to amateur football in Bristol

21OCT09

The special award was presented by Roy Schafer, deputy Chairman of the Gloustershire Football Association, at Manor Farm Football Club last Wednesday.

A former amateur player himself, with over 700 appearances for Southmead United to his credit, Mervyn was elected Vice-president of the Downs League in 1990. In 2000 he became the League's Public Relations Secretary, a position he still fulfils today.

[left] Scoresheets in hand, come rain or shine, 77 year old Mervyn is a familiar sight on the Downs every Saturday as he collates the game statistics for League, F.A. and local media.

ENGLAND SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF AUSTRALIA

07NOV09

England 9-18 Australia

After leading for almost an hour, England saw Australia retain the Cook Cup with a powerful second half display at Twickenham in the opening match of the Investec Challenge Series. MORE

Lewis Moody making the usual nuisance of himself - photos © Andrew Tobin www.tobinators.com

BATH TRIO MAKE ENGLAND SQUAD

04NOV09

Coach Martin Johnson's line up to face Australia in the Investec Challenge international at Twickenham on Saturday is to include Bath Rugby's Matt Banahan, Dave Wilson and Duncan Bell.

Matt Banahan [above center], a giant of a man for a winger at 6'.7" and 18st, should add a whole new dimension to England's backs and compliment well the return of 'chip and run' hero Jonny Wilkinson to the squad.

Fly-half Wilkinson, now playing for French side Toulon, will win his first England cap for 18 months as one of three World Cup winners recalled to the side to face the Wallabies.

16OCT09

NO REFUNDS FOR SPECTATORS

Organisers of last weekend's ill fated Weston Beach Race, cancelled following a serious incident soon after the mass start, have announced that there will be no refunds for spectators.

RHL Activities have today stated that as they were unable to resart the race on the day through lack of available medical and safety cover, and have subsequenly been advised by North Somerset Council that for similar reasons it cannot now be rescheduled for this weekend, the cancellation is "outside of the event organiser's control" and as such they are not obliged to refund spectators their money.

An announcement relating to the riders entry fees will be made by RHL Activities Limited shortly.

Altogether 19 riders were taken to hospital after the crash on the main straight, less than a mile into the solo race last Sunday.

The most seriously injured rider was 16 year old South Somerset Moto X Club member Ty Killet. Midweek he was reported to be still in a critical condition.

Doubts have now been raised as the future of the event with after organiser Gareth Hockey was quoted as saying “I have no intention of running the beach race in Weston again”

16OCT09

JOINT TOP FOR BRISTOL RUGBY

Via the boot of 'Man of the Match' Adrian Jarvis Bristol Rugby claimed joint top spot with Nottingham in the RFU Championship last evening with a 19-9 victory over Moseley.

Kicking 14 of Bristol's total points tally, the remaining 5 coming via a Tom Arscott try in the second half, Jarvis is proving to be an invaluable asset to the squad ... MORE

FILTON COLLEGE PRIDE 6 - KENT SCHOOL 27

24OCT09

In their own back yard the recently formed Filton College Pride American Football squad got a taste of just how competitive the game can be on Saturday as they squared up to visitors Kent School from Connecticut USA.

Billed as an exhibition match, the two teams, aged 19 and under, were brought together from either side of the Atlantic by Texas-based Global Football, which provides an opportunity for young amateur athletes from different countries to compete against one another, while experiencing and learning first hand about each other's cultures.

FRUSTRATION FOR MEEHAN AS QUINS PULL BATH'S PLUG AT THE STOOP ...

03OCT09

HARLEQUINS 13 - BATH RUGBY 11

A last minute, injury-time try and conversion saw Harlequins come from behind to beat Bath at the Twickenham Stoop yesterday.

In the final minutes Bath looked to have snatched victory with a Shontayne Hape try ... only to have Quins' Nick Easter counter with a converted try in the dying seconds of injury-time breaking Bath hearts and handing Harlequins their first win of the season.

27SEP09

SARACENS 19 - GLOUCESTER 16

Four wins out of four moved Saracens to the top of the Guinness Premiership table on Sunday with a 19-16 victory over Gloucester at Vicarage Road.

Gloucester took the lead after only two minutes when Rory Lawson pounced on a loose ball at the lineout. Glen Jackson and Nicky Robinson then traded kicks before Saracens' Schalk Brits touched down afer 66 minutes.

[right] Alex Goode's try-saving tackle on Nicky Robinson saves the game for Saracens