Join us
Membership

Search

Help us keep the lights on Support us
The Bristol Cable

Bristol Bears tackle the top spot

The women’s rugby team is having a great season so far, with a new coach, a new training ground and a meteoric rise in the league table.

Photographs: Julian Preece, Instagram @julianpreecephotography

Edition 28
Julian Preece
Julian Preece

In mid-January, the Bristol Bears women’s rugby team was second in the league table behind Saracens in the women’s premiership. This season, they’ve beaten reigning champions Harlequins on their own turf. It’s a meteoric rise for the team who finished eighth last season. 

It might be new coach Dave Ward or the team’s move to a high performance centre in Abbots Leigh shared with the men’s team, but either way the club is putting their best foot forward.

This photo essay shows a recent game against Gloucester-Hartpury in Shaftesbury Park in Frenchay, the Bears’ stomping ground, which ended in a 14-36 loss.

Amber Reed leads the team onto the pitch. Amber co-captains the Bears and is entering her 14th season. She has also played for England no fewer than 58 times.
Quick thinking from Keira Bevan leads to a score. Keira plays for the Wales women’s national team, where she made her debut in 2015. She’s earned an impressive 35 caps in her career so far.
Rownita Marston earned her first England call up in 2019 but she turned down an England contract the following year because she doesn’t have her sights set on being a full-time, professional player.

NEWS YOU OWN
CAN'T BE BOUGHT

Become a member of The Cable to keep news independent.

Join now

Comments

Post a comment

Mark if this comment is from the author of the article

By posting a comment you agree to our Comment Policy.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related content

No to Section 60

Racist and traumatising: inside a Section 60 suspicionless stop and search operation

Officers searched innocent children, disproportionately targeted people of colour and undermined their anti-racism reforms during a 48-hour police operation in February. Their narrative that it was an effective knife-crime deterrent, done with consent, is misleading.

Sean Morrison
Sean Morrison

Edition 44

A smiling man and woman wearing high-viz vests

Humanism in Bristol, where faith no longer defines the majority

More than half of Bristolians say they have no religion — but what do people believe instead? Bristol Humanists show how non-religious ethics find a place in public life

Marcus Smith

Features

Illustration of a person looking at a mirror and seeing a row of people smiling back

A new trans tipping point

In the 2010s, trans characters were a regular part of popular TV shows. With that progress going into reverse, trans Bristolians reflect on the lack of representation in modern culture

Hannah Vickers
Hannah Vickers

Features

A line of police officers wearing high-visibility jackets and carrying riot helmets

A year of aggressive policing against antifascists in Bristol

Nicholas Stone died after being pushed over by officers at a demo in January. Other protesters have been arrested, kettled and surveilled under increasingly draconian state powers

Adam Quarshie
Adam Quarshie

Photography

Series of abstract photographic images in orange and blue tones

Photo essay: Glimmer

Photographer Dulcie Wagstaff explores how spirituality feels for a generation brought up around technology

Dulcie Wagstaff

Features

A large boat moored on a river in a city

Harbourside to Gaza: Bristol answers the Freedom Flotilla’s call

This week a boat set sail from Bristol to break Israel’s siege on Gaza. Twelve people are on board the latest vessel attempting to deliver aid to Palestine

Will Crawford

Edition 44

Illustration of a group of people sitting in a circle, with one young woman standing

Quakerism’s quiet youth turn?

A 400-year-old faith, with an average member age of 66, may be finding new life among a younger generation of Bristolians

Sofia Lambis
Sofia Lambis

JOIN OUR
NEWSLETTER

Fearless, independent
reporting you can trust.

JOIN OUR
NEWSLETTER

Fearless, independent
reporting you can trust.