• Bristol 27-27
London Irish• Irish’s Ollie Hoskins sent off just before half-timeBristol wasted the chance to return to the top of the table when they failed to take advantage of London
Irish playing a man short for the entire second half after Ollie Hoskins was sent off for a dangerous challenge. A match in which the lead changed hands eight times finished in a draw when Stephen Myler kicked a penalty in the final minute to leave the Bears rueing four missed opportunities from the tee.
It was a sobering afternoon for Bristol who were on a high after securing the signing of the Fiji three-quarter Semi Radradra last week. London Irish played the two halves in contrasting styles: tight in the opening 40 minutes when they risked nothing in their own half and kicked for position – trusting their defensive line to frustrate the home side in the manner of
South Africa – but, a man down after the break, they kept the ball in hand and were more purposeful than the Bears.