Marler’s farewell may have dominated the pre-match build-up, but Bristol did their best to steal the headlines with a rampant display which, perhaps, underlines their Premiership title credentials.
A ninth successive Premiership win on the road – stretching back to last December – sent them four points clear of Bath, who host Exeter in their game in hand on Saturday, while Quins stay fifth after a fourth defeat of the season.
Quins set the tone for a breathless and scintillating first 40 minutes when a slick passing move ended with skipper Dombrandt scorching away down the right touchline.
But Bears roared back with an outstanding score, running the ball from a lineout deep in their 22, and going coast to coast, with Ravouvou racing in.
Marmion sent Quins old boy Ibitoye away for his sixth try of the campaign to open a 14-5 lead and the Bears were threatening a third score when Murley returned an interception the length of the pitch.
The hosts then hit the front when Northmore stripped the ball from Ravouvou and sprinted 50 metres to the line.
But in a back-and-forth half, Bears took a lead into the break when Joe Owen’s burst down the left fed Ibitoye who returned the favour and gave Marmion a clear run to the line.
Having had his Bears debut delayed by a pre-season injury, Fijian back-row Mata strolled under the posts from a well-worked tap penalty after Simon Kerrod was sent to the bin for intentional offside.
The Bears fed off the energy of Marler’s farewell ovation as the impressive Janse van Rensburg started and finished a fifth Bears try.
And, two minutes later, Grondona went over in the left corner for another try of the season contender as the Bears continued to attack from all over the pitch.
Green’s breakaway score just after the hour hinted at a repeat of the 2021 Premiership semi-final when Quins fought back from 28-0 down against the Bears to win.
But with both sides finally – and understandably – tiring, that proved the end of the comeback trail.
