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'We got killed by the referee' - Lam reacts to Bristol's latest home loss
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam believes his side paid the price for a lack of discipline as they slumped to a 25-10 defeat to Gallagher Premiership leaders Saracens at a wet Ashton Gate.
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After a well-contested but scoreless first 30 minutes, Matt Malins, who will return to Bristol next season, got Saracens up and running with the best individual play of the match when he chipped the ball over the home defence to collect and score.
It was the visitors’ only try of the night but scrappy play from Bristol allowed Alex Goode to kick 20 points and maintain the Londoners’ unbeaten start to the season with an eighth successive win.
Bristol outscored their opponents in terms of tries, with replacements Harry Thacker and Jonathan Benz-Solomon crashing over from close range in the second half, but it was not enough to prevent a fifth league defeat in a row.
Lam said: “The try from Max turned the game against us as scoring in those conditions was difficult.
“We got killed by the referee. I think the penalty count was 15-5 and unfortunately the discipline cost us with Goode kicking all those penalties.
“Once they got ahead you are chasing the game and we’ll have to go back and look at some of the calls.
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“The boys have come off frustrated but Sarries are a very good side and it’s very difficult to play against them.
“We were missing a lot of quality but I was pleased with the young guys who came in to replace them so there were some positives from the contest.”
Once Malins had scored, Saracens increased their control over the game, with their pack winning a number of penalties in the scrums and at the breakdown.
Their lock Callum Hunter-Hill said: “If you were a spectator then I expect you thought that the game wasn’t very pretty.
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“The weather was tough as it was really miserable out there and a bit of a culture-shock as we expected it to clear up.
“It was still hammering down when we went out and they kept us waiting in the rain for the kick-off, which didn’t help.
“However I thought we were pretty dominant throughout with our front-row really stepping up to the mark for us, and they won us the game.”
Comments on RugbyPass
1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
54 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.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 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.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
54 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to comments