Bristol Barbarians hosted their first pre-season fixture of the 2024/5 season at home against our friends from Bristol Telephones up the road on Saturday 24 August 2024.

With 12 absent regulars we managed to scramble together 14 players with one maybe on the way to get the game started and playing four quarters we smashed it out of the park for the first 20 minutes. Our new Gaelic 10 Ali popped a penalty over from 35 metres out to get an early score on the board before training ground moves finally made sense. Chris Hood taking the penalty dummy dummy dummy switch to crash over for Barbarians first try of the season, converted by Ali, before David Pako Paxton saw off some quick hands in his new for the day position of outside centre to scarper in from 40 yards through a number of tackles. First quarter in and a 17-0 lead.

Some quick refreshments and a strern talking to by new club captain Lee Bray and we started the second quarter badly letting phones back in with a converted try. Their danger man Brad then cut inside (don't let Brad cut inside!) from outside the '22 and dotted down under the posts and the first half lead and ascendency started to slip away and the half time break finished at 17-12 to Barbs.

Some reshuffling of the Barbs already out of position added a bit more weight to the pack and our 15th man showed up so thank you to Jack Penny and hope the nose is better now after ac rack on it by one of our own players. Training ground moves again paid dividends with Leon Harrison smashing in from close range to extend the lead to 22-12 before too many penalties again gave Phones territory and let them eat into the lead with a converted try. 22-17 to Barbs with 20 to go.

Last quarter and disaster as Phones pressure on our line eventually told with another converted try to take the lead 22-24. 8 minutes left and all to play for...

Queue Theodore Mkabiwah who eventually got the ball in space, inside our own '22 and went the full 80 yards to dot down under the posts, converted by Ali and the game was ours. Just to make sure though the lightning quick young 'un did it again almost from the restart (+Ali conversion) and had the ball in hand to kick it into touch to end the game.

Thanks go to Joe and Rhino form Phones for an enjoyable game, the former not letting us know he's hitting the big 3-0 this week so we have a nice pint for him behind the bar for the next time he is over. And then some noteable mentions from Barbarians:

Ty - very unlucky picking up an injury in the first half with a pretty shocking take out after his chip and chase. He may have been 50yards out but no one would have caught him ( apart from Theo maybe!) and soldiering through for the full 80. Tito has taught him well.

Josh, our man of the match, in his first ever game of senior rugby getting stuck in with carries and tackles.

Jon Bane, 80 minutes, legend as always.

Craig Spiller for helping us out and some cracking tackles as well as coming back on the pitch when he can barely walk to step in at scrum half - his was the important pass to Ali for Theo's first of what will be many this season.

Jordan Penny, reliable as ever and ferocious in attack and defence. You're a 6 bud, not a winger. And for his dad coaxing little brother Jack to get his kit on so we had a full team for some of the game.

To Captain Lee Bray, that's one from one buddy, keep it up.

+Chef Jared for the delicious BBQ, Mark Belton for organising and all the bar team keeping us refreshed afterwards.

Uppa Barbs.