Bristol Bears vs Clermont live: European Challenge Cup updates

It's a pretty wet evening in Bristol, which could well play a part, but the European Challenge Cup represents the best chance the Bears have of silverware this season in what has been a mixed campaign under Pat Lam.

Similar to their hosts, Clermont aren't having the best of season's domestically but are always a formidable force in continental competition and Lam used the adjective "big" several times this week to outline the threat his team face.

We'll be bringing you all the build-up, action and reaction from Ashton Gate with kick-off at 8pm, so keep an eye on below for updates

22:53James Piercy

That's all from us tonight

We'll be back tomorrow morning with more reaction from the defeat.

Good night!

22:51James Piercy

Pat Lam on the final three games of the season

It's a big finish but all you can control are your three games, get as many points as you can and see where you end up. But one place we have to end up is in the Champions Cup next year, so there's some big rugby to come for us.

22:50James Piercy

Pat Lam on Radradra's injury

It's a hamstring. Fair play to him, he did it about 30 metres out and he could have stopped but he still worked his way to the tryline to get the points. It's a big loss losing Semi, he's been in very good form but we'll hopefully see him before the end of the season.

22:49James Piercy

Pat Lam on the defeat

They're a big physical team, the conditions were tough. When we got down there, we put them under a bit of a pressure, there was some good play and some good defence but then they kicked the ball down and they get the two scores.

We thought we had scored the try to go for the win but took the three and said, 'right, let's try and get to extra time'... the boys gave it all but we lost it. Certainly we're disappointed we let that one go.

22:47James Piercy

More from Pat Lam

The conditions controlled that (the physical nature of the game). Our kicking game was working well but then we relieved the pressure. In these sort of conditions it was all about the territory and playing down the other end. Those two tries ended up costing us but the boys never gave up.

22:45James Piercy

Pat Lam on the defeat

We talked before the game, with the conditions and everything, this was about playing down the right end. We did some very good things but we coughed up ball too easily at times.

Before half-time we scored, took the lead, and we (the coaching staff) got off out of our seats to talk about it and then I heard a crowd noise, I said 'have we scored again?' But no they had scored. I didn't see what happened.

Unfortunately some of the discipline... but another soft try down at the end. But I was proud of the boys. 10 minutes to go, we've got to just hang in there and we got back within a try, thought we scored, and then tried to get in there at the end.

So I'm proud of the effort but we've only got ourselves to blame for those soft tries we conceded.

22:05James Piercy

Match report

Errors, errors more errors, and another injury. An entertaining game but one that, in a way, sums up the Bears' season.

Read the full story HERE

21:53James Piercy

Reaction on its way

Clermont were, in some sense, worth the victory and good luck to them but this was a defeat compounded by individual errors, two of which - the Bradbury drop and Siva's misjudgement of the ball - led to tries which would have had a huge impact on the score.

Pat Lam's thoughts to come.

21:52KEY EVENT

Full-time! Bears 26-33 Clermont

Luatua bent is run to the left and had a man outside him (I think it was Lloyd) but he ran a little out of space and the pass wasn't crisp enough with Clermont then forcing the ball out and the whistle goes.

79James Piercy

Penalty to Bears

High tackle ruled and MacGinty slams it downfield for a linout, 5m out.

Ashton Gate on its collective feet.

21:50James Piercy

How high was that?

Have to assume Peyper is playing advantage here because that was a near clothesline.

21:48James Piercy

Penalty! Bears 26-33 Clermont (MacGinty)

There were boos inside Ashton Gate as Peyper signalled no try with MacGinty then slotting a penalty after the original advantage.

21:46James Piercy

It goes to the TMO

Bears get right up to the line and there's a mass of bodies, some celebrations and a feeling they've scored as Peyper sends it upstairs.

75James Piercy

Bears keeping it alive

Phase after phase and they're up to halfway. Some great feet from MacGinty in there as well.

73James Piercy

Pats on the back all round

Even the Bears scrum isn't working now as Clermont emerge from the set-piece inside their own half with a penalty and a chance for a breather.

21:38James Piercy

Small mercies

Belleau misses the conversion.

21:37KEY EVENT

Try! Bears 23-33 Clermont (Penaud)

Disaster. Absolute disaster for the Bears. Another basic error and another try for the visitors.

21:36James Piercy

TMO is out

This could be curtains here as Penaud chased a lost cause with Siva looking to shepherd it out of play and the Clermont looks to have made the final touch right in front of the dead ball line.

69James Piercy

Scrappy stuff

Penaud was crowded out with Clermont going backwards and he sends a pass straight out of touch on halfway.

68James Piercy

Now Bradbury knocks on

It was a big hit in centrefield and the Bears auxiliary lock couldn't hold onto the ball. Clermont scrum, just outside their 22.

67James Piercy

What a mess

Clermont had great field position there with the Bears defence a little stretched but it's a basic knock-on at the back of the maul and the hosts can clear their lines.

21:28James Piercy

No yellow card

It's a 22 dropout with that incident viewed as accidental.

Truth by told, I thought the Clermont winger looked for the contact there and took a bit of a dive.

63James Piercy

Delguy denied

Clermont broke upfield off the back of a scrum and a kick was placed on Piutau's blindside with the full-back having two men to deal with.

Delguy kicked ahead for the tryline but had his ankles clipped by Siva and it's being review for a possible deliberate trip.

61James Piercy

Lloyd has sight of the line

But he's just yanked out of play after nice work by Vui and Thacker with about 10m to go.

61James Piercy

Clermont win the lineout

Ugh. Opportunity wasted. But they do have another lineout just outside the 22.

60James Piercy

Bears lineout, 5m out

Great opportunity for the hosts here.

58James Piercy

Bears replacements

Genge and Sinckler are off for Yann Thomas and George Kloska.

56James Piercy

Penalty! Bears 23-28 Clermont (Belleau)

The Clermont No10 does the business.

56James Piercy

Williams is a little high

Peyper was playing advantage there after a high tackle but Clermont couldn't find a way through. They now have a shot at the posts. Bang central, 15m out.