The lads finally manage to organise a time to meet up and record their final thoughts on what turned out to be yet another roller coaster season for the Bears.

They run through the season and their memories of each game, reveal the results of the listener vote and outline one final Lee-related Goat. Has he managed to secure a seat for next season or have sinister forces been at play working against his desire to come in from the cold like a modern day George Smiley?

Listen right to the end to find out!

Let us know what you think!

In this week's pod we re-live our epic journey to SW London on the Supporters Coach where we experienced, quite simply, one of the best rugby away days ever.

We loved the Stoop...

We loved the running rugby...

We loved the ale and the Chicken Caesar burger (albeit a bit pricey)

And one of us loved the cheeky little techno DJ...

What a day, what a win and what a shame Sarries let us down. Oh well, at least Pete can play cricket on a Saturday, Miles can sort his allotment out and Lee, well... not sure what he does in the summer.

Up the Bears!

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In this week's slightly delayed pod (technical difficulties) we hear from Bristol legend and current Galway resident Joe Joyce . He gives us some insight into what it's like getting  a bit of niggle going with some of your best mates in the European Cup, speaks candidly about why he left his home town for pastures new and 'talks about' his future aspirations as well as revealing a surprising candidate for 'hardest man' in the Bears camp.

We also review the excellent Bears' Women victory against Saracens on Sunday with help from one of our occasional roving reporters, Marcus Watts, and then give our thoughts on the World Book Day contract extension news and speculate on what this may mean for next season.

Finally, we revisit an old Goat and its not bobble hats (or dry robes) although it does involve frustrations surrounding merchandise.

Thanks for listening as always and if you have any comments please get in touch via @bearsbeyondgate on Twitter, bearsbeyondthegate on Instagram or email to bearsbeyondthegate@gmail.com

Up the Bears (even though we haven't seen them play for a while)!

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In this episode we talk about the prospects of a Bristol Bears win away at Bath. We get the inside track on our local rivals from our friends at Bath Bytes (Twitter account) and the Bath Rugby Plug (podcast) who give us their insight on how Bath have improved since the last time they played us - the  48-3 Bristol win back in January.

We pick our likely starting XV and look at how important this fixture is as we enter the final five rounds of the league season.

With confirmation that 3,000 fans will be allowed in Ashton Gate for the Bristol v Gloucester game we talk about the potential perils of a Monday night game for all of us fans desperate to enjoy live sport again... with a beer or two.

All this and more on this week's show.

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In this week's episode we review the 20-12 defeat at home against Exeter. Fair play to the Chiefs who got their tactics spot on to take a narrow win at Ashton Gate. We ask how much can we learn from this encounter and do the Bears have what it takes to beat Exeter in the playoffs. We talk team selection, tactics and player performances.

We discuss the two-week break before the next game away at Bath. How will Pat Lam use the break to prepare the Bears for this local derby. And speculate on how many of the injured players might be back for the game at the wRECk.

With news that the home game against Gloucester has been put back to Monday 17 May to potentially allow fans into the game at the Gate, we give our thoughts on what it will be like to see 'live' rugby again.

All this and more on this week's show.

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In this week's show we review the 34-17 win away at Newcastle Falcons. After a shaky first 20 minutes the Bears came roaring back scoring five tries and playing some of their best rugby for several weeks. It was another five-point haul to maintain our 12 point lead at the top of the table.

We look forward to Friday's top-of-the-table clash with Exeter Chiefs with the help of Robert Kitson, chief rugby correspondent for The Guardian. He talks about the strengths of both teams as well as giving his thoughts on broader rugby issues such as ringfencing and the future of the league. 

There's also the speculation the round 19 fixtures may be postponed by a few days to allow clubs to get fans into stadiums. We ask what this would mean for Bristol if we can get bums on seats for the Rifles Cup clash against Gloucester.

All this and more with Lee, Miles, Pete and Tony.

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In this week's show we take the opportunity of a game-free weekend to take a position-by-position review of the Bristol Bears squad and give our thoughts on where Pat needs to strengthen ahead of next season.

We preview the next game away at Newcastle with some help from our friend at the Folk on Falcons podcast. How many changes will we see from the Bordeaux game and will Pat have even more players to choose from?

There's also our thoughts on the 21/22 Season Card renewal prices and how much value for money the offer. We also see the return of the Gets My Goat feature, but what has got under Pete's skin this week?

All this and more on this week's episode with Tony, Lee, Miles and Pete.

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In this week's show we discuss the disappointing 36-17 defeat at the hands of Bordeaux and our exit from this season's Champions Cup. We came up against a good Bordeaux team for sure, but we ask - did we do ourselves justice in France? We also debate the performance of the referee and TMO. Some questionable decision making but was this the main reason for our downfall?

We take a look at the tactics and player performances from the game to figure out what went wrong for the Bears. With a free week now, we discuss the need to regroup and prepare for the next league game away at Newcastle in a fortnight's time. 

We also have a very special message from the club to share and discuss the rumour that Gloucester's Mark Atkinson could be a target for Pat Lam. All this and more on this week's show.

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It was another dramatic late finish for the Bears to score two tries in the final five minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. A cracking game of rugby and we discuss the performances, tactics and other talking points from the 35-33 win at Ashton gate. A win that sees us extend our lead at the top of the table to 12 points. yes that's TWELVE points!

We are also joined be Veronique from The French Rugby Connections Podcast for our preview of the Champions Cup game in Bordeaux. We get the French perspective as well as talking about Pat's options for this must-win game.

All this and more on this week's show.

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In this week's show we reflect on Bristol's late comeback to beat Northampton Saints 21-28 at the Gardens to pick up another five-point win. It didn't look like it was going to be our day but with two tries in the last six minutes Bristol keep top spot in the league with a healthy seven-point lead over Exeter. We discuss the game, the tactics and the individual performances that stood out for us.

Later in the show we talk to Will and Michael Wood from 'A Harlequins Podcast' for their views on next week's visitors to the Gate. Hear how Quins fortunes have changed this season and who to keep a look out for on Saturday.

All this and more in this week's episode with the gentle buzz of a police helicopter in the background. Little did we know that as we were recording on Sunday night, Bristol city centre was the scene of some violent rioting. 

Let us know what you think!

In this week's show we talk about the 37-20 bonus-point win over Wasps at Ashton Gate. We finally get the win over Wasps that means Pat Lam's Bears have now beaten every team in the Premiership since winning promotion three season ago.

As usual we talk about the player performances, tactics and some of the funny things that caught our eye.

To preview our visit to Franklin's Gardens we are joined by Tom Vickers from the Northampton Chronicle & Echo to find out how Northampton Saints are performing this term. Hear what he has to say and our thought on Pat's options for the game with a few more players coming back from injury.

We also talk about our international boys performances for their respective countries; the draw for the next round of the Champions Cup; and about some new faces at Bristol. All this and more with Lee, Miles, Pete and Tony.

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In this week's show we discuss the narrow 24-23 win at Sixways against Worcester Warriors. It was a man-of-the-match performance from Siva Naulago who scored a sizzling hat trick to really cement his place in the starting XV.

We review the team selections, tactics, player performances and talk about some of the gamesmanship we witnessed from Worcester players. All said we finish round 12 of the season with a healthy six-point lead at the top of the table.

Lookins ahead to the next game against bogey team Wasps, we get the inside track on our opponents from Rob Sutton from the Wasps Report podcast. Find out what Rob has to say about their form to date and chances of a win on Friday night at the Gate.

We also talk about the forthcoming European draw and Cornish Pirates sensational win over Saracens in the first round of the truncated Championship season. is there a chance that Sarries might miss out on promotion?

All this and more with Lee, Miles, Pete and Tony.

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In this week's show we talk about the hard-fought 17-3 victory over Leicester at Ashton Gate. Once again a far from convincing performance from Bristol, but they found a way to win. We review the team selections, tactics and player performances. We also give a big thumbs up to Max Lahiff who took on the summariser's role for BT Sport. Eighty minutes of pure Lahiff wit and humour.

We also look forward to our next league game away at Worcester Warriors. With the lengthy list of players unavailable, how many options does Pat have to freshen up the team? We get the inside track at our hosts at Sixways from Marcello Cossali-Francis, sports reporter for the Worcester News.

Later in the show we talk about the Wales v England game and look at Bears duo Sinckler and Sheedy and compare their performances for their respective countries. We finish with a question from a listener - at the halfway point of the season, who would be our player of the year so far.

All this and more on this week's pod'. Plus the return of Miles and his top punditry.

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It's only Pete and Lee this week down at the Bristol Beer Factory Taproom supping a couple of cheeky beers, as Miles calls in sick at the last minute.

However, they still manage to fill the time, with help from listener posts, discussing the Bears Women victory against Loughborough Lightening in particular and how their season is hotting up more generally, as well as intertwining their thoughts with other subjects as wide ranging as Super League netball and the importance of not doing well in GCSE mock exams.

Realising that time is moving on, they also discuss the positive feedback received as a result of last week's Dave Attwood interview and agree that both 'Bristanbul' and more controversially, dry robes, are now discussion topics that have finally been put to bed although they do worry about the gentrification of East Street, Bedminster. They also 'talk about' news of a signing and a contract extension coming out of the club this week.

Finally they dip their toe into the more general rugby podcasting arena with a low key discussion of England vs Scotland loosely based around Gengey's travails before calling it a day as the timer approached the hour mark.

Enjoy!

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In this week's show we try to make sense of the crazy 34-34 draw away at London Irish.  Bristol up by 31-13 at the break and seemingly in control with a try-scoring bonus point in the bag. But a terrible second half and some tactical substitutions that appeared to backfire meant the Bears were lucky to end up with a draw. We discuss the players that shone in the game and those that had an off day. 

But with a squad starting to wear thin with injuries and international call ups, was this three points gained away from home or a potential five-point haul that slipped through our fingers. Either way with Exeter's home defeat, we have extended our lead at the top of the table this weekend.

We also look forward to next week's game at the Gate against Leicester Tigers and get the inside track on their form with Adam Whitty, sports journalist for BBC Radio Leicester. Adam gives a great insight into the Tigers and how they are rebuilding as a club.

We also discuss Harry Randall's withdrawl from the England squad with an ankle injury, Chapparo's decision to join Benetton once his loan with Bristol is up and much more...


 

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In this week's show we review the 18-17 Bristol victory away at Gloucester. We got the win in the end but it was a mis-firing performance by the Bears at Kingsholm not helped by gifting two interception tries. Was it the weather? Was it the absence of certain key players, or was it just one of those days?

We look ahead to the next game away at London Irish at their new home - the Brentford Community Stadium. We interview the chair of the London Irish Supporters Club to find out about their season so far, players to watch and his prediction for the game.

We also give our thoughts on the news that relegation is scrapped this year; the performances of some of our international players in the Six Nations; and a new Bristol cafe that is a 'must' for any thirsty Bears' fans.

All this and more on today's show that was recorded on Valentine's Day. Do you feel the love?

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In this week's show we reflect on the 20-13 defeat at home to Sale Sharks. The team from 'up north' brought their A game to Ashton Gate and stifled our attack. We ask what can we learn from this loss and its impact on our season.

There's a preview of our next game away at local rivals Gloucester. Not just another Premiership game, we are also looking to retain the Rifles Cup that's awarded to the winners of the league matches between Bristol and Gloucester. With our friends from Kingsholm having a torrid season, will Bristol get back to winning ways?

We also talk about the sad news that Bristol legend, John Pullin, passed away last week. Whilst playing for the club, John won 42 England caps and captained his country as well as taking part in two Lions tours. We give our thoughts on what the club should do to recognise his illustrious playing career.

All this and more with Lee, Miles, Pete and Tony.

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In this week's show we reflect on Bristol's biggest win against local rivals Bath in the 246th playing of this Westcountry derby. The boys discuss the many highs of this dominant performance and the players that stood out. There's plenty of talking points from this memorable game that Bristol fans will relish for years to come.

We also look ahead to the forthcoming game against Sale Sharks at Ashton Gate. We talk to Lewis Hughes from the Shark Tank podcast to get the lowdown on our opponents, their style of play and which players to look out for on Friday night.

All this and more on this weeks show with Lee, Miles, Pete and Tony.

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In this week's edition we discuss the cancellation of the pool fixtures in the Champions Cup and ask what this may mean for the Bears future in the  competition.

We get the inside track from the Fezcast podcast  on Tom Whiteley the Saracens scrum half who will join us for 2021/22 season. We also ask if Sarries fans are confident that Ben Earl and Max Malins will return at the end of their loan period.

We talk about the squads for the Six Nations and congratulate Bristol's Sheedy, Earl, Malins and Randall for their respective call ups. Will Ioan Llloyd missing out on Wales mean he gets a run of games at 10 for Bristol. Also why was Sinckler's name missing from the England squad.

After a two week break Premiership rugby returns on Friday as we host westcountry rivals Bath at the Gate. We look ahead to that game with our friends from the Bath Plug podcast - stand by for some cheeky banter from the Bath boys!

All this and more on this week's bumper show.

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In this episode we discuss Bristol's dominant performance to beat Exeter Chiefs 20-7 at Sandy Park. The win against the reigning English and European Champions sees Bristol Bears go four points clear at the top of the Gallagher Premiership. We talk double yellow cards, dodgy groundings and a certain comment picked up on the TV. All this plus the player performances on a memorable day for Bristol fans.

We also look ahead to next week's scheduled game against Connacht at Ashton Gate. We once again talk to the boys from the Craggy Podcast to get the Irish view of the first game and their expectations for the return leg in Bristol.

However, as we record this episode there is a big question mark  over the remaining games in European competitions as it looks likely that French teams won't play in the next two rounds due to COVID-19 concerns. If the games are called off, we give our thoughts on what should happen.

All this and more on this show with Lee, Miles, Pete and Tony

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In this week's show we reflect on the Bears' 29-17 win over Newcastle Falcons at Ashton Gate. With six front row players unavailable due to COVID-19 precautions it was a great result to win against the undefeated Falcons and bag a four-try bonus point.

We also look ahead to the big westcountry  derby next week against Exeter Falcons. With players returning from injury and mandated rest periods, Pat will have a growing list of talent to choose from for the trip to Sandy Park. We speak to a couple of Exeter fans about their thoughts on the game and the growing rivalry with Bristol.

All this and more...

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In this week's show we review Bristol Bears 27-19 win away against Harlequins. Once again it needed a marked improvement in the second half to claim the five points and our first league win at The Stoop in nearly 20 years. 

We look forward to the home game against Newcastle on New Year’s Day with a little help from our friends at the Folk on Falcons podcast. How do Newcastle play, who to look out for and why they’ve made a good start to the season. 

We also talk about the 2,000 tickets we might have had for New Year’s Day and ask if the policy of refunds to season card holders and a then flat ticket price of £35 is fair. 

All this and more...

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In this show we talk about Bristol's 27-18 win away at Connacht in the Champions Cup. After a dull, error-strewn first 40 minutes the Bears stepped up a gear to bag a bonus-point win against Pat Lam's former employers.

We discuss what this win means for our European campaign on a weekend where several games were forfeited by teams unable to play due to COVID-19 infections.

We also look ahead to the Boxing Day fixture at The Stoop and talk to Quins fans about their form, the players to watch out for and how they think the game will go.

There's also news on the Championship restart, our new Argentinian signing and the 'now you see them, now you don't' European shirts in the club shop.

All this and more with Lee, Miles, Pete and Tony. 

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In this week's show we take a look at the 38-51 home defeat against Clermont in the opening round of the Champions Cup. After a 12-year wait, Bristol Bears are once again playing in Europe's elite club competition. We talk about what went wrong at the Gate: were the Bears under par or were Clermont just too strong?

In an interview with the people behind the Craggy Rugby Podcast we get an inside view on next week's cup opponents, Connacht. We get the lowdown on their form, the players to watch out for, Pat Lam's impact at the club and a little bit about the history of the podcast. 

We also talk about 'limited' edition hats, retail dissapointments and the club's new 'Bear All' podcast. All this and more...

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In this week's BUMPER episode we hear from Dave Attwood about:

• His life since retirement...
• His time at the Bears and what it was like working under Pat...
• THAT semi final defeat and why it all went wrong...
• What he thinks about Bristol's season so far AND how we are not 'a million miles away from clicking' and finally...
• His answers to some incredibly searching short sharp questions, including one that is on every fan's lips i.e what might be considered appropriate attire at rugby matches...

We then chat about some of the really interesting points that he raises and then discuss our thoughts on the season so far with help from listener questions, finally signing off to most people's relief with some shout outs and reminders of upcoming events.

On that note here are the details of the Open Day at South Bristol Girls Rugby that is mentioned at the end of the episode:

• 6.30pm on Friday 23rd February
• At Bristol Barbarians  RFC in Whitchurch
• Food, Drink and Rugby available!

South Bristol Girls run U12, U14 and U16 teams (Yrs 7-11) with training evert Thursday between 6 and 8pm. Get in touch via southbristolgirlsrugby@gmail.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram

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In this show we reflect on Bristol's narrow 18-17 win against Northampton Saints at Ashton Gate. It wasn't pretty but we just managed to get over the line for our second win of the season.

We look ahead to our Champions Cup game against Clermont Auvergne next week, our first fixture in this competition for 12 years.

Giving us a French insight is special guest, Veronique Landew, the host of the French Rugby Connections podcast in the UK. She tells us what to expect from Clermont and the players to look out for.

We also talk about the returning internationals and speculate who will play for Bristol next week. There's  news of the A Teams defeat away at Ealing Trailfinders; a heavy loss for the women's team and a new Bears' bobble hat has appeared! 

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In this special 50th edition we talk to Pat Lam, Bristol's inspirational Director of Rugby. Pat talks about building a winning culture, the impact of the Autumn Nations Cup call ups and when we will see our international players back wearing a Bristol shirt again.

We also give our thoughts on Bristol's 30-13 win over Worcester Warriors at Ashton Gate and we preview the next game at home to Northampton Saints. There's also our thoughts on Kyle Sinckler's recent comments about settling in at Bristol, the A Team's defeat to Ealing Trailfinders and the news that pre Christmas home matches will be refunded to season card holders.

All this and more on this week's Bristol Bears podcast.

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The boys are back with a new season of Bears Beyond The Gate. In this episode we review the narrow defeat to Wasps in the opening league game. A wasted opportunity with Wasps snatching victory in the dying minutes, or a sterling effort with 17 players unavailable through international duty and injuries?

We take a look ahead to the next game at home to Worcester. Will Pat keep faith with the 23 that went to the Ricoh Arena or could we see some fresh faces?

There's discussion over the Government's recently announced funding package for rugby, news that BT Sport will broadcast every game behind close doors until Christmas, and the changes to the points awarded for Covid-19 cancelled games. 

We finish with a look at the Bears players who have represented their countries in the Autumn Nations Cup.

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In the season finale we take a look back over the past 14 months at the games, the players and the stand out moments for Bristol Bears. 

Thanks to a delayed start due to the 2019 Rugby World Cup; the Saracens points deduction for salary cup breaches; and the COVID-19 pandemic this has been a season like no other. 

But with 24 wins from 36 competitive games and the European Challenge Cup in the Bears’ trophy cabinet it has been a season to remember for Bristol fans. 

As well as picking out key games, we take a look at the players that have left, the new arrivals and where we need to strengthen before the season starts again. 

We hope you enjoy our look back at this memorable season. 

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Welcome to this week's podcast in this historic week for the Bears following our 32-19 victory over French giants Toulon. We review the game, the performances and what this European Challenge Cup win means to Bears fans around the world. 

As well as the game we talk about some of the pre-match news including the new black and pink kit for the big game and Steven Luatua's last-minute withdrawal from the starting 15.

We also take a look at some of the comments on social media that made us smile and reminisce on being together for the first time since March to enjoy the big game.

There's also Callum and Ioan's call ups for Wales and our view on the possibility of us replacing Wasps in the Premiership Final. All this and more in this episode. 

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In this week's show we take a look at the 47-24 playoff semi-final defeat away at Wasps. After the longest league season ever, was this a game too far for the brave Bears. Hear our thoughts on the match, player performances and one or two debatable referring decisions! 

We also look ahead to the European Challenge Cup Final against Toulon on Friday. How will the defeat at Wasps affect the team, who will Pat pick and what we need to do to beat the French team?

There's also our take on the new home and way kits that were released last week. maybe not shirts for the traditionalists, but find out what the boys think and the results of a listeners poll.

All this and more on this week's show.

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In this show the boys comment on a remarkable week for Bristol Bears with a 40-3 home win on Wednesday against Leicester followed by a 36-7 win away at London Irish. Two victories, ten points and a top-four place guaranteed.

But with Sale's game with Worcester controversially postponed to next Wednesday after 19 players and officials test positive for COVID-19 we speculate on who are semi-final opponents will be. To say we are annoyed with how 'Salegate' has been handled would be the understatement of the year. Hear our thoughts on the issue and what should happen next.

We also give our initial reactions to the new 'travel wear' range launched last Thursday. Great gear or another missed opportunity?

All this and more in this week's show.

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In this week's show we talk about the dramatic European Challenge Cup semi-final against Bordeaux. Once again it was a slow start at Ashton Gate before Bristol came back from 0-13 down to lead 20-13 deep into the second half. But a late Bordeaux try took the game into extra time at 20-20. The Bears powered through the extra 20 minutes to win 37-20 and seal a first ever European final. What a nail biter! What a win! What a night!

With two games in five days we review the upcoming games against Leicester and London Irish that will confirm our final league position and playoff ambitions. Hear our thoughts on these must-win games and if we think Bristol can make the top four.

With COVID-19 restrictions stopping crowds coming back for trial games, we ask what does the future hold for professional rugby in England. Can Premiership teams survive with up to six months with out paying crowds?

All this and more...

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This week we reflect on Bristol Bears convincing 56-17 win against Dragons in the European Challenge Cup at Ashton Gate. Bristol were slow to start but when they got going the rugby was spellbinding at times. Listen to who we think stood out and what this win means for the club.

We also look forward to the upcoming semi-final against Bordeaux Begles and wonder if Pat will keep faith with the 23-man squad that overcame the Dragons.

We also discuss a possible Welsh call up for Callum Sheedy, the news that a thousand fans will be let in for the upcoming Leicester game and we answering your questions from social media. All this and more in this week's podcast.

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In this show we review the 47-10 mid-week home win against Northampton Saints. Some outstanding individual performances and possibly the best try ever scored at Ashton Gate by Bristol.

We then move on to the away game against Wasps where a much changed Bristol team went down 59-35 having coughed up 26 points in an error-strewn first quarter. But five tries, a bonus point and an outstanding performance at fly half by Max Malins did provide a little comfort and something positive to take away from the Ricoh.

We preview Friday night's big European Challenge Cup quarter final against Dragons at Ashton Gate. We also ask the question what's more important this season, a top four league finish or a European cup final? We give our thoughts and reveal a listeners' poll.

We finish off this packed show with a 'Gets my Goat' from Pete. 

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In the first ever Bears Beyond The Gate 'docu-pod' we hear from Kiera, Kaye and Sophie about the work of the Bears Together Supporters Advisory Committee (SAC)  an initiative  that was announced at the start of the season as a way of the club being able to gather more direct feedback from fans about off-field matters. They talk about who they, and other members of SAC are, how the first meeting went and their aims of for the future. They are there to represent US so if you have any comments or suggestions for them please complete the Google Form below by clicking the link. Enjoy!

Bears Together Feedback form

And if you want to see what they all look like then click below!

Bears Together webpage on the Offie

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In this week’s show we talk about breaking the Curse of Sixways with Bristol’s 36-13 win at Worcester. 

We preview the midweek game agsinst Northampton and wonder if it will be a second string XV that make the trip to Wasps five days after that. 

There’s also chat about the European cups format for next season, the new England kit and why does Callum Sheedy keep hitting the woodwork! 

Let us know what you think!

In this week's show we discuss the Bears' seven-game winning streak hitting the buffers with a home defeat against Exeter Chiefs followed by a big loss away at Sale. Did Pat get his squad selections right for the two games in five days?

We preview the away game at Worcester and debate how the squad will be used with three league games and a cup quarter final squeezed into less than three weeks.

Our 'Gets My Goat' section is back where we talk about the frustrations felt by hundreds of supporters over the online season card renewal process. An un-user friendly platform and poor communication left supporters puzzled and somewhat annoyed when season tickets went on sale.

We also give our thoughts on the three new arrivals to bolster the squad in the short term and what we make of the clubs new range of training gear from Umbro. Is it a hit or a miss?

All this and more on Bears Beyond The Gate.

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In this week's show we review the memorable 24-33 victory over Gloucester at Kingsholm. This is Bristol Bears first win their since 2006 and we once again retain the Rifles Cup. New signing Semi Radradra caught the eye with a stunning first half performance but who else did we think had a good game.

We discuss Pat's team selection for the first midweek fixture against Exeter Chiefs on Tuesday and consider what this may mean for the squad to travel to Sale on Saturday. The boys give their score predictions for both games - will you agree with our thoughts?

Finally we discuss the new season card prices, the reduction in the payments scheme from 10 months to 5 and the club's failure to provide accurate credit figures to this year's season ticket holders. 

We finish off by answering your comments and questions from social media.

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After five long months, Tony, Lee, Miles and Pete have an actual game of rugby to discuss! And what a game. It wasn't pretty but Bristol Bears pull off a memorable 16-12 victory over reigning champions Saracens. We look at performances, tactics, what worked and what didn't.

We then look ahead to Friday night's trip up the M5 to take on Gloucester at Kingsholm. We give our thoughts and also catch up with Cherry Jam - the new Gloucester rugby podcast to get an inside line on what to expect.

This episode rounds off with a discussion about the 33 new contracts handed out to the squad and then we answer some of the points raised by our Twitter followers. 

We're still buzzing from that win, we hope you are too.

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In this week's show we (at long last) have a proper game of rugby to preview! We give our thoughts on the squad to take on Saracens at Ashton Gate on Saturday and reveal our score predictions.

There's the arrival of scrum half Tom Kessell who joins for the rest of the season to cover for the injured Chris Cook

We also discuss the timing and content of last week's announcement regarding refunds for season card and match ticket holders. There's our thoughts on BT Sport covering all the remaining games and the official launch of the Bears High-Performance Centre.

Finally, for the second show running Pete mentions his swimwear in what is becoming a worrying trend.

Bears Beyond The Gate is a Bristol Bears rugby podcast made by fans for fans.

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In this week's show Tony, Lee and Pete discuss the first four games of the rescheduled season and give their predictions for the games against Saracens, Gloucester, Exeter and Sale. With no crowds expected in sporting grounds until October at the earliest the boys debate the need for some clarity from the club on refunds for season card holders and people who have bought match tickets.

Pete is all at sea for this one talking about his Speedos fetish and a winking prawn. Keep listening and all will be revealed!

We finish with a round up of other news including a revamped Championship and the winter international break.

Bears Beyond The Gate is a Bristol Bears rugby podcast made by fans for fans.

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In this week's show we talk about the new coaching setup with the arrival of new scrum and defence coaches. There's also the resigning of Irish hooker, Bryan Byrne and Luke Hamilton finds a new club across the Channel.

Monday 6 July saw the return to level 2 training and the magnificent new Failand training facility open and ready for business. We discuss how good it was to see the big-name recruits in Bristol kit at last, and wonder how much of an impact they may have in the second part of the season.

With plans for resuming the season starting to form, we ask what price on a cup and league double for Bristol.

Bears Beyond The Gate is a Bristol Bears Rugby podcast made by fans for fans.

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The boys are back and discuss the salary cap arrangements for the next few seasons. A climbdown by Bristol or a clever compromise that will protect the Bears squad? When the season starts will we see all games played or a compromise fixture list like the PRO 14?

With Bristol city's new Hummel training kit all over social media we ask when will we see something from Umbro for Bristol Bears.

There's something magical happening at Welford Road but will it spread across the Premiership!

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In this week's episode the boys talk about the retained list for next year with 19 senior players departing. Do we have the depth of squad to compete next season? We also talk about the target to resume the Premiership on 15 August and what the knock on effect will be for the 2020/21 season.

There's also news of a victory over Bath, an upcoming Bears quiz and Nathan Hughes' new fashion range.

Bears Beyond The Gate is a Bristol Bears rugby podcast made by fans for fans.

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In this episode we talk about the arrival Siva Naulago who joins from rugby league club Hull FC. Is he a bit of a gamble or shrewd move from Pat Lam? We also talk about three academy players stepping up to senior contracts and the new intake of players to the Integrated Academy and the new Academy Scholars programme.

We also discuss Steve Lansdown's letter in support of the salary cap and marquee players, and calls for ringfencing  to be implemented as soon as possible.

Bears Beyond The Gate is a Bristol Bears rugby podcast, made by fans for fans. For more news, views and gossip follow us on Twitter.

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As the Premiership takes a mid season break for the Six Nations, we review the monumental banger at Ashton Gate as Bristol maintain their seven-game home town winning streak against Bath. Basically it was just a mental game of rugby. Multiple line breaks, gorgeous offloads and 14 tries AND virtually no box kicks or scrums. It was rugby played the way it should be!

As well as hearing from both sets of fans before and after the game thanks to our brand new audio recording device and Miles wearing a huge pair of headphones, we also read out a record-breaking 21 short, sharp summaries, the quality of which are university level, with a selection of game related limericks, acoustic poems and even haikus.

We also discuss a few other things such as our plan to get people in the Atyeo for every game but relatively quickly because we want to keep the pod under an hour ( we failed..).

Finally, many thanks to all listeners who voted for us in this year's Sports Podcast Awards. We have no idea whether we'll get on the podium but if we do it'll be a victory for hardworking, dedicated and often long suffering clubs fans all round the country.

Cheers!

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In this episode the boys talk about the arrival of Chris Cook from Bath and wonder where he will fit in the scrum-half pecking order and discuss the departure of Joe Batley to Worcester Warriors. There's also news of Aly Muldowney's next move in the world of rugby.

With the Umbro announcement made last week we ponder on the term 'Technical Kit Partner' and wonder why this phrase was used. We also talk about our hopes for the new partnership with Umbro, including a ladies range and of course the all important bobble hat.

We then round up other rugby news including the Champions Cup format for next year, Lord Myner's salary-cap report, a departure at Kingsholm and a long overdue rule change.

Bears Beyond The Gate is a Bristol Bears rugby podcast made by fans for fans.

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The boys discuss Shaun Malton's departure at the end of the season and wonder if three hookers is enough for 2020/21. We also talk about the fly-half situation with Nathan Chamberlain on his way north of the border next season.

There's also the news that Mark Irish (scrum coach) follows Jonathan Thomas on taking a new coaching role with Worcester Warriors next season. We ask will we see new faces at the Gate or will Pat promote from within to the coaching team?

As this episode was recorded just after the British Prime Minster announced the first stage of loosening the Coronavirus lockdown in the UK, we ask what does this mean for the Bears and rugby in England? Will the season restart in July or is it destined to never be completed?

Bears Beyond The Gate is a Bristol Bears rugby podcast made by fans for fans.

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In the episode the boys talk about the departures of two of the current squad at the end of the season - scrum half Nic Stirzaker and tight-head prop Lewis Thiede. Will they be replaced or in the current climate will we make do with what we've got? With Will Hurrell's retirement from rugby confirmed, we reminisce on the four season that Will has served for the Bears and wish him all the best for the future. 

Also in the pod we talk about the recent Premiership statement that the league has now been postponed indefinitely but with the aim to still complete all of this season's games. We give our views on the chances of seeing a full season played and the issues around contracts finishing on 30 June.

We also take a look at some proposed rule changes and what they may mean for Bristol Bears style of play. Are they needed changes to enhance the spectator experience or unnecessary tinkering with the game?

Finally, we wrap up with the little things we all miss about the gameday experience at Ashton Gate.

Bears Beyond The Gate is a Bristol Bears podcast made by fans for fans.

Let us know what you think!