Photo via BBC Sport

Bristol beaten by Stormers in Champions Cup opener

South African side Stormers dominated their Investec Champions Cup opener with a commanding 49–12 victory over Bristol Bears, securing a bonus point in the process. The Stormers’ attack was relentless, with Seabelo Senatla and Leolin Zas leading the charge early, while Jonathan Roche scored twice to extend their lead.

Bristol’s only tries came from Joe Owen and Sol Moody, but the Bears struggled to contain Stormers’ momentum, particularly after hooker JJ Kotze was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Bristol captain Kieran Marmion. Late tries from Warrick Gelant and Andre-Hugo Venter sealed the win, as Stormers’ fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted all seven of his team’s tries with precision.

Bristol, who have shown strong form in the Premiership this season, will look to regroup ahead of their next Champions Cup match against Munster on December 12. The defeat leaves them with a challenging pool phase ahead, including fixtures against Racing 92 and Bordeaux in January.

Stormers, meanwhile, will aim to build on this result as they progress through the competition, with their experienced squad proving too much for the Bears on debut.

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