Following Bristol Bears\u2019 61-12 win over Section Paloise, here are our five takeaways from Sunday evening\u2019s one-sided Investec Champions Cup tie at Ashton Gate.<\/b><\/p>\n
The top line<\/p>\n
Pat Lam\u2019s hungry Bears<\/a> gave Pau the mother of all maulings to stay firmly on the coattails of Northampton and Bordeaux, last year\u2019s finalists, at the midpoint of the Investec Champions Cup<\/a> pool stage.<\/p>\n Bristol helped themselves to nine tries, two in the first 10 minutes, to breeze past the Top 14<\/a>\u2019s second-placed side, back up their opening day victory at Scarlets and move within a point of the leading two.<\/p>\n Player of the match Benjamin Grondona and brother Santiago each scored for the home side, with Ellis Genge, Kieran Marmion, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Gabriel Oghre, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Joe Batley and Aidan Boshoff also claiming a try apiece.<\/p>\n Pau\u2019s former England scrum-half Dan Robson reacted by telling his team their performance was way below standard and that they need to get better and fast.<\/p>\n Bears firmly in hunt for a home tie to Round of 16?<\/p>\n When the draw was made and they were paired with Saints and UBB with only the top two in each group earning home advantage in the knockout stages, few gave Bristol much of a chance.<\/p>\n To be within a point of the holders and the team Bordeaux edged in that Cardiff final at this stage means their fate lies in their own hands.<\/p>\n Bristol next go to Pretoria to face the Bulls, who have lost both their games and have a minus 58 points difference. Win that and it will all come down to a bumper home clash against Jalibert, Bielle-Biarrey, Penaud and Co on January 18, the final pool weekend.<\/p>\n Given the way they took apart Pau without late withdrawal Louis Rees-Zammit, perhaps more to the point the manner in which they hammered Northampton 46-12 in the Prem last month, even mighty Bordeaux won\u2019t fancy that trip to the West Country.<\/p>\n Harlequins v Bayonne: Five takeaways as Marcus Smith\u2019s \u2018masterminds\u2019 10-try thrashing as \u2018Quins old of reappear\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Pau cap lamentable weekend on road for French teams<\/p>\n Four French teams in action away from home in the Champions Cup on the second weekend of competition and four defeats, a week after three of the four visiting Gallic sides lost.<\/p>\n It has been a dreadful fortnight for Top 14 sides other than holders Bordeaux who have maximum points. Toulouse suffered the humiliation of blowing a 21-0 lead after half-time in Glasgow, while Bayonne and La Rochelle were crushed by Harlequins and Stormers.<\/p>\n Pau, second in the most competitive club league in the world, were never at the races at Ashton Gate once Genge crossed in the first minute. Bristol had the bonus point in 35 minutes, led 33-0 at half-time and got to 60 quicker than the clock.<\/p>\n