Latest news with #JackBates
Wales Online
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Three new Welsh-qualified players 'good enough' to play for Wales emerge at English club
Three new Welsh-qualified players 'good enough' to play for Wales emerge at English club There are three Welsh qualified players at Bristol Bears worth keeping a close eye on Bristol Bears wing Jack Bates is Welsh qualified (Image: Getty Images ) Pat Lam has backed three Welsh qualified players at Bristol Bears to successfully make the step up to Test rugby if called upon. One of those is former England U20s wing Jack Bates who qualifies for Wales courtesy of his grandmother who hails from Cardiff. Bates has been in electric form for Bristol this season scoring five tries, including a sensational individual score at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre in La Rochelle. Warren Gatland's successor will undoubtedly look to increase the strength in depth in Welsh rugby and Bates is somebody who should be considered. Lam also rates Welsh qualified centres James Williams and Joe Jenkins very highly. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "Put it like this, they have the ability to go to the next level is probably what I'll say," Lam told WalesOnline's Welsh Rugby Podcast, which you can listen to here. "Jack's journey has been an interesting one because he's an athlete but his one was about his confidence and his ability to communicate really well. That's what he's been working on and he just took off this year. Article continues below "He's strong and fast. The main thing is around him looking after his body because he picks up niggles now and again. "But he has the ability to go to the next level. It's more around his belief than his ability." Wales aren't short of talent in midfield with the likes of Max Llewellyn, Joe Roberts, Eddie James, Mason Grady and Keiran Williams, among others. But powerful Bristol centre Williams is the glue of the Bears midfield and the 28-year-old is one of the unsung heroes of Lam's team. "There's probably more talented players, without a doubt, but one thing I'll back Jimmy on is he will compete and fight for everything," Lam told WalesOnline. "He's probably like the Roy Keane of our team attitude wise. He won't give in and he'll fight for everything. "My twelves are really important. They need to be able to play 10, drive the game and have second eyes. "He's another reject who was playing in the Championship. He was at Sale but got let go there and went to Hartpury. "I saw him when we played them in pre-season and I thought who is this guy? They almost beat us and he was the one driving it. "But I watched him closely and the way he controlled everything, so I offered him a contract. He's taken that opportunity very well." Jenkins is a player worth getting excited about with the 21-year-old highly rated by the Bristol management and is also being closely monitored by the WRU. Despite being born in Halifax, Jenkins is eligible to wear the red of Wales thanks to his father's Llanharan roots. The young talent, nurtured at Monmouth School, vied for a spot with the Dragons U16s and, though initially unsuccessful, was scooped up by Bristol's keen eye for potential. Jenkins etched his name in Bristol Bears history when he became their youngest ever starter in the Gallagher Premiership, facing off against Saracens in November 2022 aged just 18. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free Back in February 2023 former Wales U20s head coach Byron Hayward claimed Jenkins' goal was to represent the country of his father at senior international level. "I spoke to Joe's dad back in November because he is definitely a player we are interested in," revealed Hayward back in February 2023. "He's Welsh-qualified. He said Joe felt obligated to England because he'd come through their U18s programme, and they had rehabbed him through a knee injury which is totally explainable. I understand and quite admire his loyalty." "He is 100% Welsh and assured me that Joe wants to play for Wales at senior level and sees himself as a Welshman. However, at this moment in time he felt a loyalty to England because they've looked after him." And Jenkins' club coach Lam believes the powerful centre has heaps of potential. "Joe is a big man," Lam told WalesOnline. "You look at Max Llewellyn and Mason Grady, they breed big centres. "Joe is another one. When I arrived here he was coming off the U18s but he had a serious knee injury. "I looked out of my office and I kept seeing this kid doing his rehab by himself with the trainers and medical team. I thought jeez this is tough but this is going to bring the best out of him. "He's a tough character as well. The big thing around him is learning the game as best as he can. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. "Centres don't really mature to the best centres until past 25. He's on his way as far as his development is concerned but he can certainly hit someone too in the tackle. "He's a physical lad. It's just about him being a leader and an influencer driving the game as well. Article continues below "That's going to take a bit of time too."
Telegraph
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Pandemonium in Bristol with record-breaking 10 tries in first half
Just another day in the utterly nutty world of Bristol Bears. This was pandemonium from start to finish: tries galore – a record-breaking 10 in the first half – end-to-end mania, a hat-trick and a red card to boot. Sets were being adjusted, punters were chaotically checking that it was not April 1, but in the end the Bears prevailed, consolidating a top-two spot in the Premiership table. Does anyone know of any cool, dark rooms in Bristol? I need a lie down. There are days when defence coaches watch from behind the sofa and then there was this. Ninety points in total and 14 tries, nine of which came inside the first half an hour – bonus points sewn up for both teams too – with five-point scores reducing in value as rapidly as Deutsch Marks in the Weimar Republic. Tackling was not optional; it became kryptonite. Ellis Genge, dropping out of the Bristol 23 on the morning of the match to welcome the birth of his daughter, his third child, must have been sitting at home wondering what on Earth was unfolding in his absence. 🗣️ "I don't think I've seen a better 16 minutes of @premrugby!" @samwarburton_ is loving it as @BristolBears run in for the SIXTH try of the game. #GallagherPrem | #BRIvEXE — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 22, 2025 "We're seeing a season's worth of highlights in half an hour here!" The tries keep coming and it's Josh Hodge with the brilliant football touch and finish for @ExeterChiefs 🔥 #GallagherPrem | #BRIvEXE — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 22, 2025 After the carnage between these two at Sandy Park last October – Bristol scored 28 points in the final 14 minutes to overturn a 20-point deficit – this sort of carry-on was written in the stars. The aggregate score between the two sides this season now reads an extraordinary 92-73 to Bristol. The Bears, staggeringly, had their own try bonus point wrapped up in 15 minutes. It took slowcoaches Exeter a further 14 to secure their bonus. Keep up, lads. In the thick of Bristol bedlam, picking out shining lights was tough but Benhard Janse van Rensburg and James Williams in the midfield looked a cut above. The madness began when Christ Tshiunza dropped the kick-off. From then, it took Bristol less than 90 seconds to get the ball on the try-line, the efficiency of which set the tone for the afternoon. Kalaveti Ravouvou caused the Chiefs problems down the left and when the ball was recycled, Jack Bates was there to dot down. Jack Bates with the second fastest try of the season as @BristolBears fly out of the blocks at Ashton Gate ⚡️ #GallagherPrem | #BRIvEXE — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 22, 2025 Tom Cairns's sumptuous timing of the pass sent Martin Moloney through close to a Bristol ruck as Exeter responded, but Joe Owens caught the ensuing restart and Williams was under the sticks in the blink of an eye. Exeter Chiefs also find the tryline early ⏰ Martin Moloney flies under the posts to even it up. #GallagherPrem | #BRIvEXE — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 22, 2025 Again, Exeter replied. Ben Coen, fresh out of a leading role with England's under-20s during their own Six Nations, found Josh Hodge with a cross-field kick and the wing offloaded neatly for Henry Slade to score. It was already silly, but following Slade's score, Janse van Rensburg caught Bristol's own restart and scooted away untouched for a try of his own. Bristol had their lead back and when Williams added a second after more good work from Ravouvou and Viliame Mata, that was the Bears' bonus point secured with, astonishingly, just over a quarter of an hour played. This is unbelievable 😮 FIVE tries in the first 11 minutes at Ashton Gate. Grab the popcorn and enjoy this Bristol v Exeter barnstormer 🍿 #GallagherPrem | #BRIvEXE — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 22, 2025 Exeter, after their Premiership Rugby Cup final defeat to Bath last Sunday, played their part in a spectacle with which the Chiefs might not have been traditionally associated. Paul Brown-Bampoe came close before Dafydd Jenkins, the Wales lock, muscled over from close range. In the build-up, Mata marmelised Slade (legally) with one of the hits of the season but moments later Santiago Grondona got it very wrong on Martin Moloney (illegally), with a clumsy head-on-head tackle. Grondona correctly saw red in what was a routine call for referee Karl Dickson. My goodness! 💪 A MONSTER hit from Bill Mata 😧 #GallagherPrem #BRIvEXE — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 22, 2025 Tries ☑️ Big hits ☑️ Cards ☑️ This game has everything! And now it's a @premrugby first as Karl Dickson explains the Santiago Grondona red card decision to the spectators over the PA at Ashton Gate. #GallagherPrem | #BRIvEXE — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 22, 2025 By the time that Bristol were reduced to 14 – wing Ravouvou was also sacrificed for Steven Luatua to mitigate the back-row loss – Exeter had cut the deficit to nine thanks to an impressive solo try from Hodge cancelling out Bates's second. Hodge's scoring pass, fired by Coen, looked a metre forward but it would not really have been in the spirit of things to have called it back, would it? Randall darted from the base to score the 10th try of the first half and give the Bears a 16-point half-time cushion after the wackiest half in this – or, probably, any – Premiership season. Ten first-half tries, what is happening here?! And that's a new @premrugby record 📊 — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 22, 2025 Luatua crossed for Bristol's seventh before Bates sealed his hat-trick in his 50th game for the club; the Bears' third score with no reply while down to 14 players. Jack Yeandle and Will Rigg addressed Exeter's second-half try drought late on but Bristol make merry in the madness and were always going to hold their nutty nerve. The red card hasn't dampened @BristolBears ' attacking intent. Jack Bates runs in for his hat-trick to extend the lead 🎩 #GallagherPrem | #BRIvEXE — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) March 22, 2025
