Pat Lam’s Bristol Bears rapped out a warning to the rest of the Prem with a 41-26 six-try beating of reigning champions Northampton Saints.

And Lam revealed it was the humiliation of Bristol’s 94-33 defeat to Saints last season that was the major motivation for yesterday’s performance.
Lam, below, closely studied the video of that May match over the summer and yesterday his side – with Louis Rees-Zammit, Harry Randall, Fitz Harding and Pedro Rubiolo all shining – took revenge.
He said: “I watched that game five times.”

Fuel
He continued: “I never watched a game five times in the off-season...