'I think in attack everyone is second guessing him'

As someone who has played the majority of his professional rugby at the most entertaining clubs in the top two divisions, Rich Lane is used to expecting the unexpected.

Lane was the Championship’s standout full-back in his time with Bedford, where he rediscovered his love of rugby after being cast aside at Bath before being made moribund at Jersey, who opted to play to their strengths up front rather than use one of their most dangerous runners out wide.

Sharing the same sort of attacking rugby philosophy as Bedford, Bristol has proved to be an equally good fit, with an initial loan spell in the 2021/22 campaign soon made permanent.

Other than two Cup games in November, Lane has been an ever-present in the Bears squad this season, the 31-year-old enjoying watching the mayhem unfolding in front of him, as Bristol’s entertainers cut loose.

Chief among them is winger Gabriel Ibitoye, who, until hamstring and calf injuries rudely interrupted his progress this season, was the most watchable player in the Premiership with his dazzling footwork and one-handed basketball-like skills.

Rich Lane take a bow! 👏

Bristol Bears extend their lead in the blink of an eye ⚡️#LEIvBRI | #GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/j3Sphq2jY8

— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 21, 2024

Ibitoye is back in a Bears jersey for the first time this year in Sunday’s game against Leicester, as part of a back-three comprising Lane at 15 and Jack Bates on the other wing.

“As soon as I see the ball like that in his hand, I am like, here we go, something is going to happen,” Lane said, gesturing with one hand above his head.

“We have played 50-odd games together now. I probably couldn’t even tell you I am thinking it now, you just know he’s rapid and if you get next to him, there’s going to be an offload coming, so be there.”

Lane’s length-of-the-pitch try against Leicester at Welford Road in December – the Bears’ sixth of an incredible first-half performance – was an example of what the former Millfield pupil is talking about.

“I think in attack, everyone is second-guessing him. It’s learning to understand that anything can happen, a bit like Kala (Kalaveti Ravouvou, the joint-top try-scorer in the Premiership). Those boys are going to create anything, so be near them.

“I think about the try at Leicester that I finished off, it was Gabs and Kala really doing their stuff. I knew that if I was near them, something would happen.

“When he (Ibitoye) is confident and doing his thing, it is a joy to watch, just get near him and get lucky.”

The high-tempo rugby that Bristol play demands a lot of the players physically and Lane admits he wasn’t fit for much of a try celebration after finishing off that 100-metre effort.

“I think I’ve done less and less try celebrations as we’ve gone on, because you’re far too tired for that rubbish. Just get to the halfway line and do it again. But we know people are enjoying it, and we love doing it. It is massively enjoyable.

“I come from a place where I try not to take my rugby too seriously, I think people can do that at times, so to think without getting too deep, we do it as a job still but, ultimately, it is a load of fun so wouldn’t you want to play like that, in my view?”

Fixture

Gallagher Premiership

Bristol

19 - 36

Full-time

Leicester

All Stats and Data

Lane’s outlook was reset at the Blues when he combined landscape gardening with part-time rugby. At first, Lane was required to play 13, but before too long, he swapped roles with Chris Czekaj and became the full-back everyone admires to this day.

“I properly whinged to Lee Dickson, but in the first game I played, I scored two and was made man of the match. I remember Lee bouncing over to me after the game and saying words to the effect of, ‘that’s you f*****, you’ll be playing there for the remainder of the season’.

Bedford and Lane wowed fans in the 2018-19 season, throwing the ball around to their heart’s content. Covid soon put a stop to all the frivolity and fun, but the way Lane attacked must’ve stuck in the mind of Pat Lam, who wasted no time in picking up the phone when Charles Piutau went down injured.

“Working full-time, rugby became a release, a hobby again. I ended up doing landscape gardening with some of the boys at Bedford. It was unbelievable, I worked through lockdown, and had the best tan I have ever had,” he said, reflecting on those Bedford years.

“All the times at Bristol when I have been playing my best stuff, I have just gone back to that. There is a lot more detail here, but I am learning with age to take what you need and not cloud yourself with everything and just be free and just try and enjoy it for what it is, because it can end at any moment.”