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European Challenge Cup: Rhys Priestland shines as Bath see off Bristol

Rugby, ECC

Rhys Priestland kicked five penalties as Bath recorded a 22-6 victory over Bristol in Pool 4 of the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

The Wales international fly-half led his side to a second successive win in the competition with four successful first-half kicks before adding another after the break.

Bristol responded through penalties from Billy Searle and Shane Geraghty either side of the interval but their chances of salvaging something from the game were effectively ended when Jack Tovey was sin-binned 14 minutes from time.

Bath's Matt Banahan then raced clear to touch down the only try of the game in the final minute before Priestland added the conversion to leave Andy Robinson's side pointless from their opening two European fixtures.

Elsewhere, La Rochelle made it back-to-back wins in Pool 1 with a convincing 51-24 success at home to fellow French side Bayonne.

Charles Bouldoire scored two of the hosts' eight tries with the others coming from Romain Sazy, Jason Eaton, Steeve Barry, Arthur Retiere, Levani Botia and Leandro Cedaro.

Fly-half Brock James added 11 points with the boot before fellow Australian Zack Holmes was sin-binned in the closing stages.

Tries from Martin Laveau and Pablo Huete, plus a late penalty try, put Bayonne on the scoresheet but they failed to find a fourth score to earn a bonus point and were well beaten.

In the night's other match, Stade Francais comfortably beat Romanian side Timisoara Saracens 27-0 in Pool 5.

Jules Plisson went over in the opening minutes for the French hosts before further tries from Faraj Fartass and Djibril Camara and seven points from the boot of South African Morne Steyn gave them a 22-0 lead at the break.

Sylvain Nicolas touched down the fourth try of the night in the second half to earn the home side a bonus point in their first win of the competition.

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