Watch: Ridiculous ‘own try’ in Challenge Cup

It is hard to fathom an easier score. Joe Batley of Bristol Bears must barely have believed his luck in the first 15 minutes of the match with Zebre in the Challenge Cup as Richard Kriel passed the ball to him in the in-goal area.

That is right – the South African full-back got the ball under his own sticks and instinctively threw it to get rid of it, with the Bears lock hungrily taking it in and dotting down for the simplest try of the season year.

Check this out.

Be honest – how many times have you watched that back? It’s madness, isn’t it!

After Zebre throw a turkey of a ball from the back of a scrum, it bounces for Ioan Lloyd, who ploughs forward. That’s the first change of possession. Then it’s an attempt at popping it up and it hits (former Bristol) fly-half Tiff Eden, as it comes back Zebre’s way. Second change of possession. It’s scooped off the deck and hurriedly given to Kriel, who is under real pressure and look who’s waiting there.

Batley runs zero metres when in possession. He’s already in-goal. It’s try time.

As @CymroChloe tweeted, it was “the closest to an own try I think you can get.”

It was an eventful old day for Batley. He also stole lineout ball and saw yellow for impeding Eden as the ten took a quick tap.

In the end Bristol won 35-19. That’s two wins from two for the West Country outfit, as they sit third in Pool A in the Challenge Cup standings.

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