Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Bears Beyond The Gate
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 235 - Scrappy defeat at the StoneX, more mixed zone interviews and a Storm(ers) is brewing | 11 Oct 2026 | 01:12:56 | |
In this week's episode we review yet another defeat at the StoneX but discuss whether it was quite as bad as the 30-7 score suggested. Overall, we weren't great but there were some positive 'moments' and it was good to see new players stand up and be counted. Ultimately though, our ill discipline and lack of red zone efficiency let us down. The wait goes on (sigh)! However, Pete did manage to grab a word with Jimmy, Bats, Gabs, Harry Wells and the Mighty Bosh straight after the final whistle to get their (refreshingly honest) thoughts and, equally as importantly, try to discover who might get in Business Class on the flight to Cape Town and who might be in the overhead lockers. We also discuss the pitch thing and Pete gives an upbeat verdict on the match day experience although that was potentially influenced by the fact that he managed to blag himself a stack of free donuts at half time. All this and more. Up the Bears! | |||
| Ep 234 - Bonus mid-week pod - Pete chats to Duncan from the Sarries fan pod 'Fezcast' to preview the game at the Stone-X on Saturday | 07 Oct 2026 | 00:26:15 | |
Recorded as a two way chat this short-ish episode serves as a preview for the visit to the Stone X, where (in)famously a Bristol Senior team has never won although the Cubs did recently. Is this the year? Given our impressive start to the season, why not? Duncan thinks so but inevitably Pete employs the use of some 'caveats' and 'alludes' to the weight of various statistics that suggest otherwise. But hey? We've got to beat them sometime. Give us your thoughts via the usual channels. Enjoy! | |||
| Ep 233 - The crowd was flocking, the Gate was rocking and Saints were silenced - plus news from the 'NFL' style mixed zone, Sarries preview, Listener shout outs and a Goat/Anti Goat. | 04 Oct 2026 | 01:28:23 | |
In this week's episode Pete, Lee and Miles crack open a cheeky beer at the Bristol Beer Factory Taproom and raise their glasses to the excellent win against Northampton Saints on Family Day. It was a game of two halves, each one with its own compelling narrative, but yet another professional and disciplined performance from the pack created opportunities for the backs to shine. LRZ got another brace, Rands executed a perfect dummy and snipe, and BV got knocked out by launching him 3ft onto a Saints knee just short of the speed of sound. It was a game with everything, including 5 points to the Bears. In other news Pete also managed to gain access to the new post-match NFL style mixed zone and had a nice chat with Jimmy Williams, Gabs Ibitoye, Joe Batley, Adge MacGinty and the big man himself. It certainly seems like a good new initiative. The boys also speculate on the away trip to Saracens and wonder whether this is the year when the Stone-X hoodoo is broken. It's as good a time as any, and finally we finish with Listener shout outs, a Goat/Anti Goat and that's your slightly longer than planned episode done. Up the Bears! Running order: 00:00:00: Intros 00:01:20: First half review 00:17:45: Second half review 00:32:20: Player performances 00:43:10: Mixed zone interviews 00:58:10: Discussion about interviews 01:05:10: Sarries preview and predictions 01:13:54: Listener shout outs 01:20:28: Goat/Anti Goat | |||
| Ep 232 - Toothless Sharks blunted by Bears' bite and we look forward to a humdinger at The Gate | 27 Sep 2026 | 00:56:03 | |
In the first review of the new Prem season we discuss Bristol's first bonus point win in Manchester THIS CENTURY. There had been a fair amount of trepidation in the run up to the game but in the end it was a professional dismantling of a side that has often outmuscled us. We talk through the key points of the game and discuss player performances including our regular homage to Sir Fitz of Hardingshire. He's a legend. Finally we look forward to what will no doubt be humdinger at the Gate on Saturday when the reigning champions, Northampton Saints, roll into town. There will be match-ups galore. It's not been a happy hunting ground for them in recent seasons but they are likely to be locked and fully loaded. Strap in everyone! We finish off with listener shout outs and that's the episode done. Up the Bears! | |||
| Ep 231 - The Prem is back and the sharks are already swimming | 21 Sep 2026 | 00:48:49 | |
Pete, Miles and a special 'pod royalty' guest sit down with a cheeky beer at the Bristol Beer Factory Taproom and discuss the season ahead more generally and the upcoming campaign opener at Sale in particular. It is episode 231 by the way, despite what you heard otherwise!
Questions, questions, questions and maybe a few answers! Join us for season 8 as we yet again start out on our quest to win that elusive title. Up the Bears! | |||
| Ep 230 - Season 8 starter. Pre season news, first Prem Cup game and thoughts on the campaign ahead | 08 Sep 2026 | 00:52:30 | |
The lads are back for another season. They whip through news and updates from the off season, briefly review the first Prem Cup game and then give their thoughts, hopes and opinions on the season ahead. Is this the year? Join Pete, Lee and Miles for cheeky beer and a bit of Bristol rugby banter... | |||
| Ep 229 - End of season review ramble... | 15 Jun 2026 | 01:36:40 | |
In this last episode of yet another eventful but ultimately unsuccessful season we unashamedly put the stopwatch away and ramble on until we run out of gas. We chart our performances through the season and reminisce over the ups, the downs and the in betweens. It's actually quite a cathartic experience and leads us into a more wide ranging discussion about what coming 6th actually means both in terms of this season in particular and where we are as a club more generally. Squad size, salary spend, injuries, Academy progression, The Big Day Out and yes,. marketing, all get a mention. It feels like we put things to bed and tuck them up ready to go again in September. Thanks to all our listeners and followers for all your input especially those of you who make the effort to pen short, sharp summaries, poems and at times fantastic rants. We also appreciate meeting many of you face to face and it always makes us remember why we continue with this labour of love.... By fans, for fans! Stay stay safe, have a good summer and.... Up the Bears! Donate to 'Walk for Arthur' here: | |||
| Ep 228 - Derby day redemption but season effectively over | 01 Jun 2026 | 01:05:11 | |
We look back on the excellent victory vs TFDTR on Friday night a the Gate which was a fitting way to say good bye to the leavers as well as purge some of the Franklin’s Garden horror from the previous round. We admire the endeavour to bagel Bath in the second half and actually come back to win from 14 points behind - despite one or two heart-in-mouth moments - and revel in some excellent individual performances…
We also discuss some of the more general issues that the game raised and even feel obliged to admit that we thought Karl Dickson has a good game apart from getting hoodwinked by Ben Spencer who shamelessly ran down the clock during Arundel’s yellow card absence. We also find time for some more general chat about all things rugby and run through a number of shout-outs at the end including encouraging listeners to sign up to the ‘Fans to 5k’ fitness initiative which we are backing on behalf of Bristol Rugby. More details can be found here | |||
| Ep 227 - Worse than a shellacking? Lower than a nadir? We try to make sense of Friday! | 17 May 2026 | 00:50:07 | |
It's a sombre pod and many things have already been said about Friday's chastening and record-breaking defeat against Saints across various platforms. There are lots of interrelated reasons why teams lose matches both contextual and in the heat of battle, but ultimately shipping that many points to a rival is almost impossible to comprehend let alone accept. How do you analyse a game like that? We do our best to try and put in into perspective and discuss some of the issues that it raises. Hopefully it is fair and balanced although we appreciate that everyone has their own opinions and that's absolutely fine. Although mathematically still possible it is fair to say that the hopes of a play-off spot are now swimming with the fishes but we do have a home game against Bath to look forward to in a couple of weeks. It is a chance for both players and fans alike to dig deep and try to purge the memory of Franklins Gardens. Lets get the Gate rocking and keep that home Prem win streak intact. We also remind everyone that the PWR will start again on May 30th with the Bears Women playing Chiefs at Shaftesbury Park. It is actually the last home game of the season but will be 'pink' themed in order to raise money for breast cancer aweeness and research so get yourself along. Up the wounded Bears! | |||
| Ep 226 - Play off hopes hang in the balance as Sarries do what Sarries do for the tenth time in a row | 11 May 2026 | 01:12:17 | |
| Ep 225 - Bonus point win in Newcastle sets up Sarries showdown plus listener poetry, Red Roses at the Gate and ideas to fill the Atyeo | 26 Apr 2026 | 01:03:09 | |
In this week's episode, Pete, Lee and Miles discuss Bristol's dominant victory away at Newcastle. It was another welcome five points but it came at a cost with more injuries to contend with. On the postive side we have two weeks to recover and prepare for the vist of Saracens which will be the 'must wins' of must wins. Can we get that irritiating North London monkey off our back or will the Death Eaters suck the life out of us yet again. That said, at least it's not taking place on November 5th. We will never forget. Miles and Lee also report back from their experience watching the Red Roses beat a spirited Wales side and we then discuss more ideas for filling Ashton Gate including taking the flag idea to another level!Stay Stay safe, have a good week and up the Bears! | |||
| Ep 224 - Derby day demolition sparks renewed play off hopes | 20 Apr 2026 | 01:03:24 | |
| Ep 223 - Dream start morphs into brutal lesson plus Big Day Out, Joe Jenkins and 'football men' as DORs | 06 Apr 2026 | 01:12:58 | |
| Ep 222 - Toulouse preview with Rosbifs Rugby pod - crumbs of comfort and food, drink and entertainment recommendations! | 01 Apr 2026 | 00:30:51 | |
In this special preview episode Pete is joined by Rob from the Rosbifs Rugby pod. He gives us the lowdown on what to expect from Toulouse on Saturday. It's not particularly optimisitc but there are a few crumbs of comfort and who knows, stranger things have happened? Equally, or maybe even more importantly, the second half of the chat is all about what to do when you get out there this weekend including going to watch Colomiers vs Dax on Friday night as well as following his recommendations for places to eat, drink and be merry whatever the result! Marche Victor Hugo - classic French market: La Voie Maltee - craft beer bottle shop for takeaways to enjoy by the river: La Bierographe - bar for craft beer nerds: Chez Tonton - Student bar by the river. A bit rowdy but a Toulouse institution: The Hopscotch Pub - Scottish bar with beers brewed in house: Little Big Bar - small bar with good beer and a decent mixed platter. Lots of restaurants on the same street: Pub O'clock - next to Marche Victor Hugo. A big sports bar with good range of beers. Le Dahu - Great value restaurant with traditional 3-course meal and amazing Dauphinoise potato. Finally, Rosbifs Rugby favorite place - a small wine bar with generous pourings. Listen to the end of the pod to find out its name! | |||
| Ep 221 - Good day out but a disappointing Men's result - pre and post match from Cardiff | 30 Mar 2026 | 00:26:30 | |
In a slight diversion from the norm Pete, Lee and Miles record live from The Philarmonic on St Mary's Street, Cardiff, both before and straight after the game. What a difference a few hours makes! You can only say what you think and the Thatchers fuelled pre-match expectation and optimism is countered by the harsh reality of the post-match result. If that doesn't remind anyone of the fickle nature of being a fan then we don't know what does! On further reflection we may think differently or we may double down on our initial thoughts. Who knows? But as always we try to give a balanced view on a game that we barely had time to process before hitting the record button. You may agree, disagree or not give a toss but either way it is what it is! Enjoy and up the Bears! Time stamps: 00:00 - 08:32 - Pre match chirpiness 08:33 - 18:00 - Post match reflection 18:01 - 18:45 - A small ray of sunshine - Look-a-like-cam? 18:46 - 23:30 - The debrief continues 23:31 - 25:06 - A positive listener viewpoint 25:07 - 26:30 - A random positve chat with Rob from Skewen RFC | |||
| Ep 220 - Short, sharp Tigers review and looking forward to Big Day Out Two | 24 Mar 2026 | 00:28:08 | |
| EP 219 - Time to tame the Tigers (again) and news from in and around the club | 19 Mar 2026 | 00:55:05 | |
We're back from our Six Nations hiatus with a round up of news from in and around the club as well turning our attention to the relatively happy hunting gound that is Welford Road as we re-start our quest to reach the Prem summit on Sunday. Running order:
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| Ep 218 - Bears Centurian Jake Heenan joins the pod plus some Bristol rugby-related bits and pieces before the annual Six Nations hibernation | 08 Feb 2026 | 01:08:03 | |
The main event is the Jake Heenan interview where we chat to him about his rugby career which of course included seven years and over 100 appearances for Bristol Bears. We also discuss his relationship with Pat from his time as a youngster in the Auckland Blues Academy through to the title winning Connacht side of 2016 and finally his successful stint in Bristol. He provides great insight into the ups and downs of a pro rugby player but also demands recognition for the selfless way that he gave up his contract here in order to free up cap space for Tom Jordan and Louis Rees-Zamitt! Joking aside it was a very interesting 30 mins or so which we hope that listeners will enjoy. Prior to that we also discuss the recent Prem Cup games, the emergence of Bears players in England A and (and senior) squads (up the Klosk!) and reaffirm our belief that it was us who started the famous 'Gengey's coming home chant'. All that and more with Pete, Lee and Miles and a few cheeky beers provided by the Bristol Beer Factory Taproom via the ever generous Lewis. | |||
| Ep 217 - Immense in defence. Bears get down and dirty in Devon | 26 Jan 2026 | 00:57:20 | |
| Ep 216 - Beaten by Bordeaux but heads held high | 20 Jan 2026 | 00:29:49 | |
| Ep 215 - Attitude at altitude - Bears make European Cup play offs for first time in 3 years | 12 Jan 2026 | 00:34:53 | |
| Ep 214 - Gritty and not particularly pretty but the win against Sale concludes a very tidy Christmas campaign | 06 Jan 2026 | 00:51:11 | |
The band is back together again as the boys chat over the gritty, but not particularly pretty new year win over Sale. It was a chilly night at the Gate and the fortress was certainly tested but thankfully the drawbridge was raised in the 72nd minute when Kela Ravouvou scored the deciding try. Lying fourth at the mid point of the Prem season is probably better than we could have hoped for but we now seemed to have settled into a nice rhytmn with a level of physicality that is delivering results. Next up is a trip to the sunny High Veld and an appointment with the Vodacomm Bulls. There is a suspicion that the South Africans aren't massively keen on the Champions Cup so a victory in Pretoria would set things up nicely for the visit of Bordeaux Begles the following week. Lewis Rees-Zamit's contract extension is also discussed as is the suggestion that Moroni has the air of a Latino Henry Purdy. Join Pete, Miles and Lee for a cheeky beer and a bit of Bristol-related rugby banter... | |||
| Ep 213 - A tasty portion of 'Pod Thai' | 28 Dec 2025 | 00:59:51 | |
It's a rough and ready one-take Zoom episode on account of one pod member sweating profusely half way round the world, and with no music intro, but the lads talk over the 'stuttery' win against Newcastle Red Bulls and briefly reminisce on the glory of Big Game 17 in London. They also discuss what this means for the visit of Sale next Friday and briefly look forward to the final European group games... They finish with a bit of AOB including a plug for both the 'Fan to 5K' initiative and the Bristol Bears Live Community WhatsApp group: @FansTo5K on all socials https://chat.whatsapp.com/L5qH2xiEyMBJdqspokkvUG Due to ongoing logistical challenges the next pod will be recorded on January 11th so HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone and thanks for your ongoing support... Made by fans for fans 🐻🏉👊 | |||
| Ep 212 - A mid week 'Edu-Pod' with a deep dive into all things Pau and a chat with the Bears Supporters Advisory Committee | 09 Dec 2025 | 00:38:50 | |
Just like the BBC, the pod is here to inform, educate and entertain so we were delighted to chat with Rob Graham from the Rosbifs Rugby pod about all things Pau. He gives us an insight into this less fashionble club from the foot of the Pyrenees and predicts how they might shape up at Ashton Gate on Sunday. We also hear from Mark and Cameron from the Bears Supporters Advisory Committee who give us an update on their successes so far (getting rid of air guitar and pre match smoke for starters) and outlines how supporters cna get in touch with them. The club will listen to feedbacka and these boys are on a mission to provide it. So sit back, relax and listen to something slightly different to the norm. | |||
| Ep 211 - European campaign underway as Bears squeeze past a dogged Scarlets | 07 Dec 2025 | 00:54:47 | |
In this episode we review the game against Scarlets. It looked like we were cruising at 12-0 up with more points to come but the home side had other ideas and put in a proper shift to take us to the wire. We discuss the reasons why this might have happened as well as hear the thoughts of some listeners. Equally as importantly the game marked the first BBTG road trip of the season so we also review activities that took place off the pitch and as well as on it. Suffice to say we tried to squeeze as much out of Llanelli as we could and had a thoroughly good time despite the weather, the lack of any discernable taxi infrastructure and a poor decision to go to the Red Cow. We briefly look forward to the next game against Section Paloise or 'Pau' as they are also known (although we also hope to get more insight next week with a special 'edu-pod' on Wednesday) and finish off by making a spirited defence of the claim by some loyal listeners that we have sold our souls to the devil for the price of a bobble hat. All this and more with Pete, Lee and Miles live from the Bristol Beer Factory Taproom. | |||
| Ep 210 - Bears win well in the one game Prem restart as West Wales awaits | 30 Nov 2025 | 01:03:19 | |
SORRY - for some unspecified reason the sound quality isn't as crisp us usual but there isn't much I can do about it 😭. | |||
| Ep 209 - Rapid Saints preview | 25 Nov 2025 | 00:31:24 | |
The lads jump on Zoom to speculate on the team for Saints this coming Saturday now that the Autumn International break is over. Which returning players will feature? Have we succesfullly reduced our Guinness world record breaking injury list to more manageable levels? Is the officiating team for the weekend more akin to watching a mash up of Last of the Summer Wine and Monarch of the Glen? And will we win? All this and not a lot more as we nearly come in under half an hour for the first time since eposide 1! | |||
| Ep 208 - Dunnie's off - when is an exhibition not an exhibition - women lose to Sarries - and listener loose ends tied up | 09 Nov 2025 | 00:55:48 | |
| Ep 207 - 'Feisty one you are!' The derby does not disappoint as Bears battle hard but Bath are a bit better | 27 Oct 2025 | 00:57:18 | |
It was a derby day to remember and although it didn't go our way for us, the effort was there. Pete, Lee and Miles ‘deep dive’ into the heated clash with them down the road, where the Bears battled hard, created big moments, but ultimately found that Bath were just that little bit better on the day. 🔥 Key Talking Points:
From the off, the Bears looked fired up: a charge-down leading to a try inside a minute set the tone. That fast start put Bath on notice, yet despite that spark, the boys found themselves under pressure as the first half progressed, with Bath creeping into the ascendancy. Was the Ben Spencer “not looked at deliberate knock on” a turning point?
The Bears defended really well when they needed to. Two Bath tries were disallowed thanks to our pressure and scrambled defence and even if the final scoreboard didn’t ultimately reflect it, the character was there.
With many first-choice names missing, the squad felt the effects. The Bears’ bench couldn’t quite match Bath’s firepower and depth and the gap that showed.
Derby matches bring emotion and this one was no exception. The officiating was under the microscope — scrums, scuffles, yellows, and debate. We consider whether the match officials were the right choice for this much-heated affair, whilst at the same time recognising that it can be a thankless task. 🤔 Looking ahead: can we build from this? Yes, the result stings. But there is more to this performance than just the score. The Bears showed fight, structure and signs of promise. The focus now is to turn this into consistency. 🎖 Player of the Week: Our pick: Matías Moroni — despite travel and squad changes, he produced several big plays and gave the Bears something to build on. Stay tuned for his full ratings in the episode. 🗣 Listener shout-outs: Massive thanks to all the fans who weighed in but our top three contributions this week were:
Got views on the game? Send us your voice-notes or messages across our social media and you might feature int he pod. ✅ Final Word: A valiant effort, full of heart, grit and individuality, but at the final whistle, Bath came out on top. If the Bears can keep the intensity shown here, tighten up when it matters, and improve depth, then this performance won’t feel like just a defeat but rather a stepping stone. 🐻 Follow us on Instagram @BearsBeyondTheGate, Twitter @bearsbeyondgate, Facebook @Bears Beyond The Gate and now even TikTok too @bears.beyond.the2
UP THE BEARS! 🐻 | |||
| Ep 206 - Bears regain the Rifles Cup with a seven-try skittling at Kingsholm but an angry Bath await! | 19 Oct 2025 | 01:08:34 | |
This week we go over Friday night’s 7-try, 49-point dismantling of Gloucester under the lights and in front of the baying crowd at Kingsholm. We regained the Rifles Cup with another warrior-like performance of grit and graft but also sprinkled some fantastic handling and offloading. Despite our injury woes if felt a bit like the Bears Way in its full glory. Not only did the frenetic nature of the game help last minute loanee and former fan favourite Toby Fricker shrug off his stag do hangover, but it also allowed Mattias Moroni to get over his jet lag having, flown into Bristol on the red eye earlier in the week. However, in young Sam Worsley we had a bone fide Academy player who definitely came of age delivering a high class performance and becoming the first Bristol player to kick seven conversions in a Prem rugby match. We went with Gloucester-supporting Lewis who was supposed to join us tonight but he has unsurprisingly cried off, but we do hear from his Dad Steve who was the Gloucester team doctor back in the day of Mike Teague and the like. 3 wins out of 4 is a pretty good return give the injuries but we have a final challenge down the road before the Autumn Internationals ‘literally’ kick in. Given that Bath lost to Tigers, are we heading towards an epic backlash or should we go with some extra confidence given that our recent performance history has been pretty good there? We hear from Bath fans, Tom Dabs and Matt Price who gives thir thoughts. Either way you can be sure that the likes of Gengey, Dunnie and Kloska will be ready for them. All this and more with Pete, Miles and Lee in rugby union's only lock-in pod down at the Bristol Beer Factory Taproom. Chapter markers are avaible again! | |||
| Ep 205 - Bears win ugly in the ding-dong derby | 13 Oct 2025 | 01:16:46 | |
Pete, Miles and Lee pick through the narrow win against the Chiefs as well as previewing the upcoming fixture against Gloucester with help from Ed Price from the Cherry Jam fan pod. There is also the usual excellent contributions from listeners and a bonus section on Bennard Janse Van Rensburg's post match interivew with Clare Thomas. Finally, we finsh off with a big, big Goat, an update on the work of the Supporters Advisory Committee and pay homage to the game's look-a-like cam effort. Slight apologies for the length of the episode, but to make it more manageable chapter markers have been inserted to allow for 'structured' listening! | |||
| Ep 204 - Bristol have a bad bear day near Barnet... | 05 Oct 2025 | 01:03:39 | |
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. | |||
| Ep 203 - Bears pull away in the seond half to win the season opener after being 'Radwaned' in the first... | 28 Sep 2025 | 00:49:20 | |
We chew over the opening day bonus point victory from the Media Conference Room at Ashton Gate. We were the only ones in it mind but it was still quite exciting nonetheless. A shaky first half, where Tigers did a 'Radwan' on us, subsequently developed into a comfortable victory as the intensity increased, the pack took control and Prem debutant Tom Jordan ran the show. The atmopshere at the stadium was excellent as the Bristol faithful wallowed in the early Autumn sun and it was somehat apt that as the vicotry strains of 'Drink up ye Zider' echoed around the ground, the Thatchers hot air balloon gently ascended from Ashton Court. We're up and running (literally!). | |||
| Ep 202 - "You're joking, not another Dun". James makes his second live appearance to help us preview the Tigers game | 22 Sep 2025 | 00:59:32 | |
Pod friend James Dun makes his second appearance live from the BBF Taproom to tell us how pre-season has gone, talk us through how the boys will prep for the game during the week and even make some of his own suggestions for ramping up the atmosphere at the Gate, in particular searching for George Kloska look-a-likies in the crowd... As always, we appreciate his time and it's good to see the 'fourth mic' getting some more action. We also hear from Elliott Butlin from Tigers fan pod, The Rolling Maul, who gives us the low-down on their season prep, how some of their new players are shaping up and how he sees the game going on Sunday. The Prem is nearly upon us. Up the Bears! | |||
| Ep 201 - New season, new tech and new CEO. Tom Tainton joins the pod to talk all things Bears past, present and future. | 07 Sep 2025 | 01:14:06 | |
Having reached a double ton at the end of last season wth the help of emerging club and Instagram legend James Dun, the boys road-test their brand new crowd funded recording equipment at the BBF Taproom Studio Bar for the season seven opener with Bears CEO Tom Tainton, who, lets be honest, was well impressed with the set up and admtted that he had never done a pod in a lock-in before. The boys asked him briefly about his journey to the top before diving in with some of the sorts of questions that we hope our listeners would expect us to ask - fan engagment, whether the Big Day Out made money, merchandise, Simba cam and much, much more. Tom was a very engaging interviewee and took his time to clarify and engage many of the issues that are close to fan's hearts. He admitted that sometimes the club had got things wrong but also reaffirmed his belief that the club is in a great position and that the future is bright. It was very good of him to come down to our manor on a Sunday night and it can be confirmed that at least two of the can opening sound effects, much loved by many listeners, were definitely of his making. As always your feedback is welcome both on our socials or via bearsbeyondthegate@gmail.com Up the Bears! | |||
| Ep 200 - Season review with a very special guest in person at the Bristol Beer Factory Taproom | 16 Jun 2025 | 01:10:07 | |
Running order: 00.00 - 14.30: Re-living the semi at the Rec 14.30 - 18.40: Back to the start of the season and the focus on cohesion 18:40 - 25.45: Pronouncing Ravouvou, thoughts on Rubiolo and gym strength 25.45 - 30.45: Integrating the Internationals 30.45 - 41.00: Lee's list of positives, centurion or not centurion and Wooley tribute 41.00 - 52.30: European campaign, man love for BJVR and the Clermont cauldron 52.30 - 70.07: Quick fire questions:
And then an abrupt finish as the memory card ran out of space... | |||
| Ep 199.5 - Season over as a twenty minute Bath blitz breaks Bristol hearts | 09 Jun 2025 | 00:39:46 | |
After being 'super-excited' for the game on Friday and reaching high peaks of excitement at half time we talk about the glorious defeat to them down the road in the play off semi final at the Rec. It was everything we had hoped for bar the final score but just like that, the season was over. Having spent the afternoon at the cricket, and with the 200th episode looming, we decide to do a 'half pod' instead. We talk through the incidents, the individual performances and muse on what might have been. If anyone wants to buy a relatively cheap final ticket then get in touch with Pete! | |||
| Ep 199 - Drawbridge up, play off secured and the enemy await | 01 Jun 2025 | 01:03:38 | |
In this week's episode we re-live a fantastic day down the Gate when the Bears secured their first play off berth in four years with a resounding 52-26 victory over Quins. The Bears Way was on display in its full roller-coaster splendour although to be fair they weathered a small storm in the second half and then powered to the finish line, much to the frenzied delight of the majority of the 20,000 fans in the stadium (minus the Quins supporters who, to be fair, seemed very gracious in defeat). The prize? Another visit to one of our happier hunting grounds just down the road. Banana skin? Target on their back? All the pressure on them? The cliches are rolling off our tongues but the bottom line is we have nothing to lose, have a pack that might just cause them a few things to think about and if we get front foot ball then we know we have the weapons to win the battle and propel us further east to the promised land of a first Premiership final. Finally, we run through a bit of AOB which includes questions around the number of season ticket renewals, a debate on whether the the hoops on the home shorts are the in the correct order for middle aged men who drop food down their front, and then a quick sprint to the finish line with a run through of the end of season award winners from the ceremony that took place after the game on Saturday. Running order: 0.00 - 6.20: Introduction 6.20 - 12.10: Post match soundbites 12.10 - 38.54 : Review of the game 38.54 - 45.13: Listener contributions 45.13 - 53.54: Bath preview 53.54 - end: AOB | |||
| Ep 198 - Bears' destiny in their own hands as Saints provide the silver lining to a grey northern cloud | 19 May 2025 | 00:53:38 | |
Join Pete and Lee as they review the Friday night loss at Sale and how Saints' win against Sarries has provided us with a play off lifeline. At least things are simple now. Win against Quins and we are in the play offs. Lose and we probably won't be... Up the Bears! | |||
| Ep 197 - Big Day Out review as Bears do the double on Bath | 11 May 2025 | 00:57:32 | |
It's been a long time coming and it has divided opinion, but Saturday saw 51,000 spectators descend on Cardiff for the Big Day out at the World's premier rugby stadium. We review both the pre-match atmosphere, the game itself and what we can take forward to the tough away game at Sale. It is customary to mention Enya at this juncture but we need to put lazy puns aside and focus on the task ahead. Bears got the 5 points that they needed to keep themselves on play-off life support but how good was the victory really given it was a Bath second string and they needed two late tries to make the score board look respectable? We also manage to slot in a couple of soundbites that actually got recorded in the mayhem and indulge ourselves in more Hambley-esque acrostic-ery with a tidy limerick for desert. All this and more with Pete, Miles and Lee at the Bristol Beer Factory Taproom... | |||
| Ep 196 - The Force is not with us. Saints review, Big Day Out preview and a new Bristol Bears song | 28 Apr 2025 | 01:04:14 | |
You’re listening to Bears Beyond The Gate episode 196. Yes 196. We’re three fans who love the club, the game and all things Bears. Each episode we talk about the game that’s gone, the game that’s coming up and anything else that takes our fancy as long as it is vaguely Bears related. We try to be as balanced as possible but ultimately we are trying to reflect the views and opinions of paying punters from all ages, backgrounds and demographics. We don’t take ourselves too seriously but we do try to say it as we see it! This week we mull over the third defeat in a row at Franklins Gardens and wonder whether ‘the best form of defence is attack’ strategy has now run its course and given that we have a play-off place hanging in the balance with only three games left, is there any way of tweaking the game plan to keep us in the top four? The next time that we see the Bears will be The Big Day Out in Cardiff and sadly we imagine that Bath players and fans will be licking their lips in anticipation. It has to be a yet another must-win for us, but how exactly are we going to do that? Finally, a new song, ‘Come on you Bristol Bears’, has been published by lifelong fan and charity fundraiser, Paul Hobbs. All download proceeds are being donated to the Foundation and you can find out more by clicking here. | |||
| Ep 195 - Bears huff and puff but it's Tigers who blow the house down | 20 Apr 2025 | 00:53:56 | |
Only a couple of hours after the end of the disappointing defeat against Tigers we knock out a pod. It's raw and a bit unstructured and involves a long discussion about how many more fortress metaphors we can realistically use before just giving up and accepting that we're never going to win lots of home games in a row. Supporting Bristol continues to be like riding a roller-coaster but today it felt like we were more at Peppa Pig World than Alton Towers. Are play off hopes in the balance or can we bounce back? To be honest, we just don't know but talk about it anyway. Plus shout outs to the Bristol Bears Lotto, Martin who we met in the concourse, and a new Simba Cam candidate... All this and more with Pete, Miles and guest pundit, Stoner! | |||
| Ep 194: 'Flagging the Shed'. Tales from Gloucester after a disappointing result but an excellent away day experience | 31 Mar 2025 | 00:46:32 | |
Miles and Pete break down the humbling defeat at Gloucester by piecing together what they can remember from an excellent away day in the Shed. Bristol's defence left a little bit to be desired but fair play to Gloucester as they were on fire and it was an honour to witness once of best no-look offloads in the history of rugby union. Despite the heavy defeat, the Bears still remain in second place after this mini block of games but the pack are closing fast. Does the fact that we have shipped 15 tries in two games mean that our play off place may be in jeopardy or will Pat and the boys sort the defence out in time for the visit of Tigers on Easter Sunday? We muse on this as well as hearing from fans from both teams both before and after the game. Sit back, listen and enjoy our away day travelogue! | |||
| Ep 193 - Bears and Chiefs serve up a try-feast at the Gate as the Prem restarts with a bang | 23 Mar 2025 | 00:54:57 | |
We run through the key moments of the 52-38 victory at a pulsating Ashton Gate as the Bears saw off the Chiefs with a disciplined second half display after losing Santi Grondona to a red after 30 minutes. The first half however... We also briefly look forward to the away fixture at Kingsholm with a game of 'who is most likely to...?' and finish with a short discussion about the merits or otherwise of the proposed plan to introduce dedicated away fan sections. Finally, Miles doffs his tweed cap to the career of Amber Reed who announced her retirement this week. All this and more as Pete, Miles and Lee share a cheeky pint and a bit of rugby banter at the Bristol Beer Factory Taproom. | |||
| Ep 192 - Return of the Thack (and others) - Chiefs preview, Womens' semi final review and season card renewal chat | 17 Mar 2025 | 00:51:42 | |
We look forward to the return of the Premiership after the long Six Nations hiatus with a little help from Sports Reporter Elgan Alderman from The Times who was the ONLY journalist to tip Bristol for glory at the start of the season. We ask him why he went against the tide of peer opinion and whether he thinks we've still go it in us to go all the way. We also review the Bears Woman' semi final loss at Queensholm and ponder over the fact that every single stat apart the final score went in our favor and ask whether we let another chance of glory slip through our fingers. Finally we chat about the season ticket renewal announcement and briefly discuss whether the 'new' old news linking Pat to some sort of job with the Wales National team is hot air or something more solid... Running order: 0:00 - 3:00: Intro and update on the state of Lewis' relationship. 3:00 - 14:20: Review of the Womens' valiant defeat at Queensholm with stats! 14:20 - 19:40 - Setting the scene for the Premiership restart with a car metaphor. 19:40 - 24:25: Elgan Alderman from The Times. 24:25 - 36: 50 - A meandering Chiefs preview including injury return speculation. 36: 50 - end: Season ticket renewal package and Pat to Wales chat. | |||
| Ep 191- Bears Women special - interview with Dave Ward and Tom Luke plus preview of the semi-final play off at Queensholm | 23 Feb 2025 | 01:16:00 | |
This week we focus on the Bears Women's upcoming semi-final play off with Gloucester-Hartpury on Sunday 2nd March at 3pm. Not only do we invite a proper dual season ticket holder onto the pod as a special guest but we also have an exclusive and in-depth interview with Dave Ward and Tom Luke. They give us a behind-the scenes deep dive into the season so far as well as their thoughts on how they will plan and prep for the play-off. It's a fairly lengthy and interesting chat after which we discuss a few of the issues that it throws up before previewing the game itself and offering our score predictions. We finish off by discussing Dave's excellent punditry performance on TNT Sports on Friday night having been warmed up nicely by our interview the day before and then finally sign off for the night. It is a bit of a long one again but to help you navigate your way through it here is the running order: Introduction: Start - 9:10: Pre-amble and a brief chat about the England A game at Ashton Gate Dave and Tom interview: 9:10 - 12:04: Motivations for this season after last year's final defeat 12:04 - 13:41: How the Women fit into the HPC set-up alongside the Men 13:41 - 15:26: How Dave and Tom work together 15:26 - 17: 10: Coaching on match days 17:10 - 18:55: Shaftesbury Park vs Ashton Gate as home venues 18: 55 - 20: 28: How they plan and prep for games 20:28 - 23:00: Managing squad rotation and selection issues 23:00 - 26:50: New player recruitment pathways 26:50 - 29:39: Tracking and signing established players 29:39 - 34:23: How Tom signed Ilona Maher 34:23 - 37: 36: Dave's thoughts after the Loughborough Lightening defeat 37: 36 - 39:49: How they will prep for the semi final 39:49 - 42:14: Messages to the traveling fans 42: 14 - 45:41: Tom's failed attempt to sign Fury the Gladiator and a vote of thanks Post interview: 45:41 - 55:15: Our thoughts on the chat 55:15 - 65: 53: Semi-final preview 65: 53 - 70:15: Score predictions 70:15 - the end: Dave's punditry trousers | |||
| Ep 190 - Bumper Bears banter is back - play off games, cliches, fans forum, listener questions/comments and an epic rant! | 17 Feb 2025 | 01:19:20 | |
The boys are back at the Bristol Beer Factory for yor favourite Bristol rugby lock-in. Unashamedly long but to help you out here is the running order:
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| Ep 189 - Bears Men successfully wing it against Falcons but the Women lose their way at Trailfinders | 27 Jan 2025 | 00:57:19 | |
As we head towards the Six Nations break we are sitting pretty in second place in the Prem table on 40 points. | |||
| Ep 188 - Defeat from the jaws of a draw and Tigers tamed at the Gate | 19 Jan 2025 | 00:59:28 | |
You’re listening to Bears Beyond The Gate, a Bristol Bears podcast made by fans for fans. We three regulars at Ashton Gate who love the club, the game and all things Bears. This week we look back on two Saturday fixtures with the Women going first with a bonus point victory 43-29 win against Leicester Tigers women at Ashton Gate and the Men managing to snatch defeat from the Jaws of a Draw at the Stade Marcel Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand. It was another welcome 5 points for the Women in their quest for a play off semi final but given that they conceded 29 points to a team that were beaten 100 nil last weekend by Saracens, does their defence review definitely fall into the ‘learnings and work-ons’ category. Furthermore, it's our longest and most in-depth review of a Bears' Women game ever! As for the Men, it was the second year in a row that they got dumped out of two European cup competitions in one fell swoop albeit in much more courageous circumstances than that dark night in Galway last season. There is no doubt that we were handed an insanely tough group but should we be expecting more and did we get our game management right on the night? The debate rages. Finally, we look forward to the visit of Newcastle Falcons next Sunday with all our fingers and toes crossed that we didn’t pick up any more injuries in France. Is five points a non negotiable or will it be a trickier fixture than our respective league positions might suggest. | |||
| Ep 187 - Bears Men edge the Andy Uren derby and Ilona does a Jonah as the Women beat Chiefs | 13 Jan 2025 | 00:58:52 | |
The boys come together at the Bristol Beer Factory after a couple of cheeky pints to review the narrow victory at the Gate aganst Benetton. It was an inconsistent win but with plenty to be postive about despite almost losing at the end. | |||