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Ex-All Black Luatua was busy on Twitter with Bristol winning Euro Cup not long after birth of his daughter
Bristol Bears captain Steven Luatua has thanked Pat Lam for allowing him to miss Friday night’s Challenge Cup final win so that he could attend the birth of his child.
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The former All Black was set to lead his side against Toulon at the Stade Maurice David in Aix-en-Provence but he withdrew from the squad with the club’s blessing and didn’t travel.
The 29-year-old thanked Lam on Twitter for his understanding, Luatua writing that he was told by his director of rugby that “your most important job today is to be there for your family”.
The flanker also showed his gratitude for other support he received, particularly from owner Steve Lansdown for providing an opportunity for him to travel to the south of France if the birth had happened early enough and left sufficient time to fly over on a charter flight to play.
In the end, Luatua and wife Olivia’s new baby daughter didn’t arrive until 45 minutes before kick-off.
Welcome to the world baby girl Luatua. So incredibly proud of her mum & my resting little cub. Much love. Now get up the Bears ????
— Steven Luatua (@StevenLuatua) October 16, 2020
There were fears that the absence of Luatua – along with injured pair Nathan Hughes and Charles Piutau – would be too heavy a loss for Bristol to manage. However, the Bears showed their tenacity in the final to win the club’s first major silverware since a 1983 England Cup win.
The Bears won on a 32-19 scoreline after producing an unstoppable second-half surge to turn around a 19-13 deficit with 52 minutes gone in their first-ever European showpiece.
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Some wonderful pace from the try-scoring Max Malins and the precise kicking boot of Callum Sheedy were pivotal to that successful comeback.
But there was no getting away from the wow factor that Bristol had produced right from the kick-off when scoring the quickest try in European rugby history.
Fifteen seconds was all it took for Harry Randall to touch down for the opening score after some typical Semi Radradra magic.
Thanks for the messages of support everyone, means a lot. Mother bear is well and resting, and as slow as the process is, we’re trusting in it ????
— Steven Luatua (@StevenLuatua) October 16, 2020
Thanks to Pat and my team for understanding & allowing me to hang back. “Your most important job today is to be there for your family” Pat. ???
— Steven Luatua (@StevenLuatua) October 16, 2020
Last but definitely not least, thanks to Steve & the Lansdown family for even giving me an option to travel late & play today if the universe had lined up. ? Mind blown by their support, Truly grateful.
— Steven Luatua (@StevenLuatua) October 16, 2020
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I love this man. Like many, he’s been through the wars with Bristol & I’m so happy to have been able to get him & the Bristol braves some well deserved silverware ??? https://t.co/hlStH3rZbz
— Steven Luatua (@StevenLuatua) October 17, 2020
Here for this ?????? https://t.co/5qNiXoYwDm
— Steven Luatua (@StevenLuatua) October 16, 2020
Yes thacks! @harry_thacker This is going to be me all week & some https://t.co/DH5kAbMqu4
— Steven Luatua (@StevenLuatua) October 16, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
I really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
1 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to comments