Latest news with #BristolBears'
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Quins game like a 'quarter-final' for Bears
Bristol Bears' game against Harlequins is like a "quarter-final" says director of rugby Pat Lam, with a win enough to secure them a Premiership play-off spot. The Bears go into Saturday's final league match of the season two points clear in fourth in the table and with destiny in their own hands to secure a top four finish for the first time since 2020. Bristol have been in the play-off positions for all 17 rounds of the Premiership this season. "We want to be part of that mix, we said that right from the beginning. We haven't been in that mix for four years now. There's a lot to play for," Lam told BBC Radio Bristol. "It's like a quarter-final. We all know the ramifications of the result but we'll focus on just getting all the bits and pieces to get the result we want." Thomas, Naulago and Caulfield to leave Bristol Quins sign Exeter scrum-half Townsend Bristol finished top of the table in 2020 and reached the Twickenham final but went on to suffer a second-half collapse, against Saturday's opponents Harlequins, to lose out on the title. It means they are still chasing a first Premiership trophy. They come into this weekend's match in inconsistent form, with two wins in their past six games stretching back to 22 March. Harlequins are seventh and have little at stake with a play-off finish already out of reach. "I'm really proud of this group, we've got one of the smallest groups in the competition and we haven't left the top four all season. We got in the top four round one and we've stayed in there," Lam said. "The only achievement we want is a win - none of that means anything if we drop out in the very last round. The boys are pretty focussed and looking forward [to it]." A year ago, Bristol came into the final match of the campaign - also against Harlequins - needing a win but for results elsewhere to also go their way and they ultimately fell short, finishing fifth. Lam said he would not be tracking any other match updates on Saturday, solely focusing on their home game. "I don't care what happens anywhere else apart from at Ashton Gate and that's a good place to be compared to last year," Lam said. "The dangerous teams are those that have nothing to play for. For us it's about focusing on us and what we can bring to the game, ideally that reflects the excitement and determination and hunger to win this game." Bristol are likely to be without full-back Rich Lane who went off early in the defeat by Sale on 16 May with an ankle injury, although they have been given a boost by the return of winger Noah Heward who can play at 15. Heward has played only five matches this season, the last in the Premiership Rugby Cup in February due to a hamstring injury. "Noah Heward is finally back from injury - the timing is very good," Lam said. "We're thankful there is some cover."
Wales Online
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Huge crowd, broad appeal and Super Bowl vibes - What Welsh rugby can learn from Cardiff experiment
Huge crowd, broad appeal and Super Bowl vibes - What Welsh rugby can learn from Cardiff experiment The Gallagher Premiership heads to Wales next weekend Bristol Bears will take on Bath at the Principality Stadium (Image: Aled Llywelyn/Huw Evans Agency ) Next Saturday the Principality Stadium will enter unchartered territory as it hosts its first ever Gallagher Premiership fixture. A fortnight ago a crowd of 28,328 were in attendance for Judgement Day but Bristol Bears' "Big Day Out" against Bath has already bettered that with over 50,000 expected for one of English rugby's flagship events in Cardiff. Welsh rugby fans have not had much to cheer about in recent times but Bristol's decision to play one of the biggest Premiership fixtures of the season in Cardiff seems to have resonated with supporters in Wales. "We have targeted a crowd of around 50,000," Bristol Bears' Tom Tainton told WalesOnline. "At the moment we are around the 15% mark for Welsh supporters and we'd expect that to continue to grow. "Certainly there'll be a significant proportion of people in that stadium from a Welsh background which is great because we know how passionate Welsh supporters are about rugby. "We also know they appreciate high quality rugby and when you look at the way Bath have gone this season and what we can look like at our free-flowing best then it should be a great occasion. "I can talk transparently that we haven't explicitly looked at it as going after the Welsh market. I think it's more we want to put on a flagship event and if it appeals to Welsh rugby fans then great. Article continues below "It's an occasion to celebrate rugby that happens to be in Cardiff because of our proximity to Wales and the size of the stadium. "It goes without saying Welsh rugby supporters are incredibly intelligent and well-connected rugby supporters. If they buy into the project and enjoy the game then the more the merrier." This event seems to have captured the imagination of many Welsh supporters who have always found the English Premiership an appealing prospect. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. The quality of rugby will not be in question with table-topping Bath and their outrageously gifted Scottish playmaker Finn Russell going head-to-head with arch rivals Bristol, who are in fourth position and are chasing a play-off place. All four of Wales' professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - will be on tour in South Africa next weekend while this fixture will also provide much needed revenue for the Welsh game. And Bristol are planning to turn their visit to Cardiff into an annual event. "The plan is to do it again next season," said Tainton. "We will be playing a double-header with Bears women next season. "Certainly based on this season and the success we've had so far, this is something we'd absolutely be looking at as a long-term view. "There's a big game strategy within the Premiership. We've seen Harlequins do it successfully at Twickenham and we've seen Saracens do it successfully with the "Showdown" at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium." Bristol's "Big Day Out" will have Super Bowl vibes with dance groups on show, rock band Maxïmo Park performing at half-time, an in-bowl TMO and fan cams. Almost 30 years on from the dawn of professionalism it is only in recent years rugby has begun to think outside the box. The Bears are very fortunate to have a committed owner like Steve Lansdown but are also a club who think outside of the box. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free "I think it's something that is a necessity for rugby to not just sustain itself but thrive because it's a very different audience which we are trying to appeal to," said Tainton. "If you look at our games at Ashton Gate and the demographic of supporters we are going against the grain in that we have a younger audience, we have a great diversity in terms of our demographic with men and women and age range. "So, we know we have to bring more to the table than just a game of rugby. We've got to bring something that is compelling for families but equally it goes without saying the product on the pitch will always be the thing that's paramount. "Credit to Pat (Lam) and the team, they do play a brand of rugby which is engaging and entertaining to the neutral supporter. "But gone are the days where you can capture the imagination of the supporter by what is happening over 80 minutes on the grass. We have to think outside the box and try to appeal to different audiences. "That's about bringing everything together, so from arrival and the full event from that experience and the whole family. That it's safe and inclusive but also very entertaining. "We are very fortunate here that we have the players and the owners that buy into that vision." Wales' four professional clubs could do a lot worse than take note of Bristol's strategy. Cardiff have bucked the trend when it comes to big crowds and even had an attendance of over 11,000 for the victory over Munster last week. But certainly as far as the other three clubs are concerned attendances are not where they need to be in recent years which is in large parts down to a lack of funding and on field success. But Bristol opened their doors to WalesOnline last week in a way the Welsh club's would do well to take notice of. At a time when rugby needs as many eyeballs on it as possible, Bristol understands how to grow their brand off the field, combining savvy marketing ploys with a vibrant and expansive brand of rugby on the field. But things weren't always rosy for Bristol who were only promoted back to the Premiership in 2018 but a rebrand along with the move to Ashton Gate has pushed them to new levels. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. "I've been here for 14 years now and I remember the games in the Championship really well," Tainton tells WalesOnline. "We were stuck in a bit of a time warp back in 2015-16 and we didn't necessarily have the direction or the clarity of vision of where wanted to go. "I think the rebrand probably served as a bit of a catalyst for a starting point. We have treated it as a bit of a start up model where we've taken a very fresh and different approach to how we do things whether that's data led recruitment, whether that's how we play on the pitch, whether that's how Will and his team do off field from a media and comms standpoint. "But don't get me wrong there are other club's in the Premiership who are doing some really fantastic stuff. "I think the secret to our success is that everyone is onboard with a shared vision, everyone has absolute clarity on where we want to go and the buy-in has come from the very top. "We've been afforded that licence to think outside the box and be a bit maverick with our approach. Hopefully our game at the Principality Stadium will embody all of that and showcase what is great about the club." Article continues below Bristol's Cardiff showcase is a fresh reminder of what's possible—and a model Welsh clubs might draw inspiration from.
The Guardian
21-03-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Pat Lam: ‘I see myself not only fighting the system but trying to beat the system'
On the wall of Pat Lam's office at Bristol Bears' high performance centre there is just one rugby shirt on display. The former Samoa captain has worn many over the years but a Connacht jersey from their title-winning Pro12 season of 2016 has symbolic pride of place. 'I've won a lot of stuff but it's there as a reminder that it's not about how much money you have,' the 56-year-old says. 'It's about everything being in place and everyone doing their bit.' Along the corridor in the team meeting room are more direct motivational messages. Let's call them the Bear necessities. 'Through Them, Around Them, Over Them … it's all about the Ball,' reads one. 'Shape, Alignment, Lines, Timing, Execution,' emphasises another. Watching Bristol's finely tuned thoroughbreds at full gallop in training on a lovely sunny Thursday morning is certainly among club rugby's more impressive spectacles. And maybe this could be the spring which sees the final flowering of the collective eight-year Bears project since Lam's arrival from the aforementioned Connacht in 2017. There are seven regular season Premiership games left and Bristol currently lie second behind West Country neighbours Bath. The quickening ground will suit their attacking game and their mid-winter injury blues are also starting to ease at just the right time. All of which could be slightly ominous for this weekend's reshuffled visitors, Exeter Chiefs, particularly with Lam's desire for Premiership glory still burning bright. 'Right now that's my focus, to get this Premiership. I want Bristol to be a 'Super Club', a club that's always contesting. We should have won it in 2021 [when they surrendered a 28-0 semi-final lead to eventual champions Harlequins] but, looking back, it was a blessing in disguise. If we'd won then we probably wouldn't have realised all the things we still needed to change. We're in far better shape now.' Hopes are rising, accordingly, that success for Bristol is not a million miles away. There is just one potential distraction, directly visible across the Severn estuary. Wales. They need an experienced head coach and Lam is the current bookies' favourite. Way back in 1991 he was part of the Western Samoa side who famously beat Wales 16-13 in Cardiff at the World Cup so he is not entirely a stranger to abject Welsh despair. Little wonder, then, that Lam was suitably diplomatic – 'It's flattering …' – this week about any potential Welsh interest. On the one hand, the timing is slightly awkward but, equally, he has always loved a challenge. Reading between the lines – and his contract at Bristol runs until 2028 – he will not take any role unless he is master of his own destiny. 'I want to drive the game, the culture and the leadership. Those are the three non-negotiables everywhere I've been.' Would that still apply in the future? 'Yeah. I can't go and coach if all the other stuff isn't sorted because it's going to fall flat. You're only as good as the people you have around you.' Fundamental to any enterprise, in other words, is the concept of reliable individuals pulling in the same direction. 'If you're going to take any of these international jobs it's about saying: 'Here's the main team but are they coming from winning environments? Are the S&C [strength and conditioning] and medical departments working together?' Then you've got half a chance. You've got a conveyor belt going, a bit of pride and all that stuff. That's why New Zealand rugby was always strong. Everything was geared towards making the All Blacks successful.' Lam also skippered Northampton to the European Cup 25 years ago and is familiar with the state of play across the home unions, having previously served as an assistant coach with Scotland in 2003. 'Ireland have the best setup currently. Four teams, central contracts, they're aligned. Wales? I look at that as an opportunity. You've got to get the regions and the pathways right. Scotland? They've been through their challenges but their two teams, Glasgow particularly, are going well.' And England? Like everyone else Lam enjoyed the latter stages of the Six Nations but remains adamant too much young talent is squandered because clubs in certain fertile breeding grounds are allowed to stockpile excessive numbers of players. 'The academy boundaries are the biggest hindrance. Yes, you're going to get the Henry Pollocks coming through but how many are missing out? How many players are leaving the game at a young age because of this system?' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion A nationwide draft system might be the answer but only, reckons Lam, if there is a reduction in self-interest. 'It's like politics. Or Donald Trump. People who are losing their kickbacks are getting angry at Trump. It's the same anywhere. If it works for me, why would I want to change it? But is it working for the good of the whole game? It's not. I see so much talent here. It's just about making sure that's all harnessed as best you can.' Interesting. Lam is a longtime fan of the Rocky movies and has never lacked for drive or passion. 'People think that all English rugby clubs are the same. They're not. I've seen myself all this time as not only fighting the system but trying to beat the system.' Currently, he says, Bristol are the eighth-lowest spending team in the Premiership but reverting to a smaller, leaner squad has been beneficial in some ways. 'Bath's squad is ridiculous. They are spending nearly £2.5m more than we have this year. That's not the salary cap, that's budget. 'Obviously they get more credits for England players but if you look at pure money they are way above us. I love it … it's like being back at Connacht in a way. We've got to maximise everything. The boys get on better and the young academy boys are getting more opportunities. The smaller your squad the more cohesive it can be, as long as you don't get too many injuries.' And wherever life takes him next, Lam's convictions will never soften. 'I always say 'Good players play the game, great players know the game'. When you know the game it's so easy. We can see it, talk about it and make it happen.' So are Bristol ready to take the final big leap? 'We've still got a couple of things we need to do and then, off the back of that, your chances of titles go up. Not just once but the next year and the year after that. Then I feel I can leave somewhere, because everything is in place.'
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Referee mic to be broadcast in Premiership stadium
Refereeing decisions will be broadcast over stadium public address systems in the Premiership for the first time, starting at Bristol Bears' game against Exeter on trial - which will enable fans to hear the reasoning behind decisions between referees and television match officials - will feature in select fixtures across the league including the Premiership final at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium on 14 June.A similar trial was run in 2021 during the Premiership Rugby Cup and used at Kingsholm during a Gloucester match and London Irish's Madejski microphones are already broadcast into stadiums during international fixtures, including the Six Nations and Autumn Nation Series."Being able to hear refereeing decisions clearly explained over the PA system has added hugely to the in-stadium experience for fans during the Autumn Nations Series and Six Nations and we will explore further opportunities across the league," said Guinness Premiership Rugby's chief growth officer Rob Dickson will be the referee for Saturday's match, which kicks off at 17:30 GMT at Ashton chief operating officer Tom Tainton said one of the club's "key objectives" was to make the game "more accessible to new supporters"."This innovation will not only add to the matchday experience, but help to inform and educate fans in the stadium," he said.A player microphone was used for the first time in January last year during a Premiership match between Bristol and Bath, with audio being broadcast over television also began wearing cameras at the same time, to show more of a close-up view of the match action to those watching at home.
