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'Bursting their backside' video has Bristol enthused for the future

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Pat Lam has isolated one moment from last Friday night’s Heineken Champions Cup exit that fills him with confidence that Bristol will emerge from their season of adversity as a much better team in 2022/23. Life under Lam at Bristol since 2017 has been all about progression, their 2018 Championship title getting followed by incremental progress back in the top flight which culminated in a first-place regular-season finish last season along with a 2020 Challenge Cup title win in Europe. 

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However, just when it seemed they were poised to go and achieve even better this season, they have encountered the first major slippage of the Lam era as they currently occupy a miserable tenth place in the Premiership and are now eliminated from Europe following their 44-39 aggregate defeat in the round of 16 stage. 

It represents a massive downturn for a club that was looking to contest titles on two fronts at the business end of the season in May and June, but the director of rugby Lam has highlighted an incident from last weekend’s Ashton Gate loss to the Sharks as a reason to be optimistic that the attitude is still more than encouraging in the Bristol ranks despite their run of disappointing losses. 

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Asked ahead of this Friday’s league derby at home to Gloucester how his Bristol squad were coping with adversity after four previous seasons of real progress, Lam replied: “Really impressed and that is the thing inside the group: they are always under a lot of pressure, the young ones in particular. 

“They are in a social media world. I’m glad I am an old guy because I am not really on that. People will tell me things that are said and I’m like, ‘Well, it’s over my head’. The things they have to deal with, like any sportsperson, are tough but as an example on the field (of their attitude) – and I have seen this so many times, it was a starter play and we won it.

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“Piers O’Conor carried hard about 20 metres out from the line but Jono Ross hit him and he knocked the ball on in the tackle. They kicked ahead, Akker van der Merwe kicked ahead 80 metres. In that video we showed the number of guys that sprinted – and a lot of forwards sprinted. Sam Jeffries, Jake Kerr, Callum Sheedy are all bursting their backside to get back and Sam Jeffries ended up diving on the ball, Callum went to pick it up and passed to Alapati (Leiua). The pass didn’t get to Alapati and they dived on the ball and then two guys came around, Sam went again and we secured it, came out and then Fitzy (Harding) ran. 

“I said to the boys, this is an example of why I thank you for your efforts, an example of our culture that no one is giving up here, they fight back and hang on in there. Not many teams aside from Harlequins, who do it all the time, go 24-3 down and fight their way back. It’s just unfortunate we didn’t finish it off. I am very impressed, very impressed, and these are life experiences that will hold them in good stead.”

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Trevor 26 minutes ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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