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Tag: Pat Lam

Malins keen to get back into England contention

21 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Max Malins will use the closing weeks of the season to give the England selectors a nudge ahead of the summer Tests […]

We knew we had to swing the bat – Porter

21 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Few gave Harlequins a chance at Bordeaux-Begles last weekend, but where there was a Will Porter there was a way. The 25-year […]

Malins on his marks for sprint to the line

7 April 2024 2 comments

By MARK STEVENS Max Malins says he’s gearing up for what promises to be a ‘sprint finish’ in the race for this season’s play-offs in […]

Lam: I understand Sinckler decision

31 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Pat Lam understands Kyle Sinckler’s decision to turn his back on England and join the exodus to France next season. The 68-cap […]

Bears battle back to subdue Gloucester

31 March 2024 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Gloucester ………………….. 24pts Tries: Hathaway 10, Carreras 18, McBurney 21 Conversions: Carreras 11, 19, 22 Penalty: Carreras 33 Bristol ………………………….. 33pts Tries; […]

Lam: We want another four wins

31 March 2024 0 comments

Bristol boss Pat Lam says his side are targeting four more wins to finish the season after victory at Gloucester. “It was a huge effort […]

The scrum is fighting to stay in the game

31 March 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees wonders whether some of World Rugby’s law tweaks will mean the end of the scrum as we know it A BANE or a […]

Bears can still finish in the top four – Dun

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES James Dun knew exactly what Bristol’s supporters were going through earlier this season when the Bears became stuck in a losing run. […]

Baxter: Clubs will take Cup more seriously

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES The Premiership will shut down next season during the two international windows, meaning more clubs are likely to take the Premiership Cup […]

Lam confident Bears can push on for a place in play-offs

24 March 2024 0 comments

BRISTOL boss Pat Lam is confident his side can make a push for the play-offs if they continue in this vein. “That is what we’ve […]

Every time my name is called out, I get excited

3 March 2024 0 comments

Jon Newcombe catches up with Northampton’s Sam Graham as the Saints look to keep hold of top spot in the Premiership FOR industrious back row […]

England U20 star joins Bristol

25 February 2024 0 comments

BRISTOL have signed England age grade back rower Kofi Cripps for next season. The 20-year-old flanker was formerly part of Wasps’ academy and has been […]

Anglo-Welsh league ‘depends on money’

11 February 2024 1 comment

By PAUL REES Premiership coaches have given their backing to Warren Gatland’s call for an Anglo-Welsh league – as long as the finances add up. […]

Crusaders make it tough for Bears as lively crowd enjoy fright night

11 February 2024 0 comments

FRIENDLIES By ROGER PANTING Bristol……………………… 14pts Tries: Davies 27, Marmion 56 Conversions: MacGinty 27, 56 Crusaders……………….. 31pts Tries: Springer 39, 51; Aumua 62, 66; Hotham […]

Bath win buys time for Lam

4 February 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Bristol’s crushing win over rivals Bath at Ashton Gate eased some of the pressure that was building on boss […]

Bears believe they can mount a title challenge

4 February 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bristol went into the Six Nations break as one of the form teams in the Premiership with skipper Fitz Harding calling on […]

Sinckler may head to France after England snub

28 January 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Pat Lam accepts that Kyle Sinckler may be more tempted to leave Bristol for France after being left out of the England […]

Chairman Bear sees his wishes granted

28 January 2024 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW Bristol ………………………….. 57pts Tries: Capon 7, Batley 10, MacGinty 18, Heward 23, Williams 32, Harding 44, Bradbury 51, Lane 79 Conversions: MacGinty […]

Caulfield sees red as Bears bomb out

21 January 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Connacht …………………….. 27pts Tries: Bolton 9, Aungier 20, Blade 33, Smith 46 Bristol……………………………10pts Conversions: Tries: Carty 47, Hanrahan 21 Penalty 80 Penalties: […]

‘Building block for our fresh chapter’

21 January 2024 0 comments

ON the night Sportsground was renamed Dexcom Stadium, Connacht coach Pete Wilkins was proud his side rose to the challenge and started the next chapter […]

Lam stays optimistic despite £14m losses

14 January 2024 1 comment

By PAUL REES Pat Lam is confident Premiership clubs are heading towards sustainability despite three of them posting losses of nearly £14m between them in […]

Weak Bears can’t keep Bulls in check

14 January 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bristol……………………………17pts Tries: Marmion 19, Ibitoye 74, Bradbury 80 Conversion: McGinty 20 Bulls ………………………………31pts Tries: Petersen 15, Mchunu 55, E Louw 63, Wessels […]

White: We targeted the scrum

14 January 2024 0 comments

THE Bulls decided to target Bristol’s scrum when they knew both Ellis Genge and Kyle Sinckler would not be playing. Genge has not played for […]

Disappointing Connacht to concentrate on Challenge Cup after Lyon hold on

14 January 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Lyon………………. 34pts Tries: Abrahams 19, 74 Tchaptchet 21, Guillard 52 Conversions: Jackson 15, 22, 53; Berdeu 75 Penalties: Jackson 27, 35 Connacht […]

Sanderson: Don’t put cap back up to £6.4m

7 January 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Alex Sanderson remains against increasing the Premiership salary cap back up to £6.4 million after his club Sale Sharks and Friday’s opponents […]

Malins puts Bristol on the right course

7 January 2024 0 comments

By ROSS HEPPENSTALL Sale ……………………………….14pts Tries: Hill 31, Creevy 67 Conversions: Du Preez 32, 68 Bristol………………………….. 22pts Tries: Randall 7, Ibitoye 18, Malins 42 Conversions: […]

‘We must be yards better than that’

7 January 2024 0 comments

Alex Sanderson was more angry with his Sale team’s performance than the fact their proud unbeaten home record had been ruined. The Sharks have made […]

Premiership previews: Round 11

5 January 2024 0 comments

Round 11 of the Premiership heralds the inaugural weekend of matches in 2024 with just three points separating the top six teams. Round ten smashed […]

Bristol and Bath chasing Welsh prop

31 December 2023 0 comments

BY NEIL FISSLER West Country rivals Bath and Bristol are battling over Wales loosehead Nicky Smith, who could activate a get-out clause written into his […]

Baxter: We gave away soft penalties

31 December 2023 0 comments

Rob Baxter believed his Chiefs should have won more comfortably after their 24-14 win at Bristol. “We started well and gained momentum to subdue the […]

Chiefs enjoying life on the road for once

31 December 2023 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Bristol ……………………………14pts Tries: Oghre 11, Heward 36 Conversions: Sheedy 11, 36 Exeter ………………………….. 24pts Tries: Iosefa-Scott 6, Feyi-Wasobo 21, Townsend 41, Vermuelen […]

Reasons to be cheerful for rugby’s year ahead

31 December 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees canvasses the views of Premiership directors of rugby and finds there is a fair amount of optimism IT IS another year the professional […]

Agree new PGP deal quickly, urge DoRs

24 December 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES Premiership clubs expect the details of the new Professional Game Partnership (PGP) with the RFU to be agreed early in the new […]

Energetic Vakatawa puts Bears in charge

24 December 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle Falcons…….. 13pts Tries: McCallum 80+2 Conversions: Jennings 80+3 Penalties: Johnson 40+2, Jennings 48 Bristol Bears ……………….. 21pts Tries: Ibitoye 17, Vakatawa […]

Bordeaux put Bears through the mixer

17 December 2023 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Bordeaux…………………….. 36pts Tries: Lucu 4, Bielle-Biarrey 16, Penaud 32, Tapuai 55, Nanette 66 Conversions: Lucu 5, 33, 56; Jalibert 67 Penalties: Lucu […]

Lam: I’m proud of how we played

17 December 2023 0 comments

ALTHOUGH his team were well beaten, Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam was pleased with much of what he saw. He said: “I’m very proud […]

Bears set to splash cash for Lovejoy

10 December 2023 0 comments

By NEIL FISSLER Bristol have launched a massive recruitment drive for next season, with Harlequins tighthead Lovejoy Chawatama set to become their first recruit. The […]

Race for the top is going to be close

10 December 2023 0 comments

The Premiership is taking a short rest after eight rounds and by Christmas will have reached the halfway stage. It is a consequence of a […]

Bears step up hunt for new tighthead

3 December 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Bristol Bears have stepped up their search for a tighthead as they face up to the prospect of losing […]

‘We have lost some of our ferocity’

3 December 2023 0 comments

Following this latest defeat, Gloucester coach George Skivington believes his side needed a reset. He said: “For most of last season our pack was dominant […]

Falcons are trapped with nowhere to go

3 December 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED IT WAS a clear-cut case of “capitalism gone mad” as the loadsamoney class snapped up English club rugby in the spending […]

Big clubs ready to rumble

3 December 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees looks forward to the Champions Cup, kicking off this weekend THE Champions Cup returns this week with a tweaked format that does away […]

McCall backs misfiring Farrell

26 November 2023 0 comments

Saracens boss Mark McCall insists at no time did they consider changing their kicker as Owen Farrell landed just two of his eight shots at […]

20 years on and little to give us any real hope

26 November 2023 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THIS week saw the 20th anniversary celebrations of the 2003 England squad winning the World Cup for […]

Set-pieces which make the difference

26 November 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees canvasses expert opinion on how scrums and lineouts can separate the two codes of rugby Last month, World Rugby launched a new version […]

Vakatawa grateful to Lam for giving him a chance at Bears

19 November 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Virimi Vakatawa says he feels blessed to be playing rugby again after being told last year that a heart condition meant his […]

I’m proud of the way our players fought, says coach Lam

19 November 2023 0 comments

Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam was far from dejected after seeing commitment and valour in his team’s performance in their narrow defeat to Bath. […]

Scottish genie turning on the magic at Bath

19 November 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees looks at Finn Russell, the big-money signing who is making a name for himself in the West Country Big-name signings have become rare […]

Premiership Derby Weekend preview

17 November 2023 0 comments

Round six of the Gallagher Premiership ignites local pride and historic rivalries with three intense derbies set to take place. Bath face Bristol under the […]