‘THIS IS HUGE FOR THE CLUB’
PAT Lam has urged his Bristol Bears side to rise to the occasion when they take on Dragons in the last eight of the European Challenge Cup at Ashton Gate tonight (7.45pm).
The Bears enjoyed an unbeaten pool stage to earn home advantage and a second place seeding for the knockout stages – and the director of rugby says preparation for the Anglo-Welsh clash has been strong.
“The excitement of the guys has gone up another level,” said Lam. “To come into a knockout rugby game, and the opportunity at the end of the final whistle to go into a home semi-final, is huge for the club but also the players. And I think the players recognise the work we’ve done to put ourselves in this situation. They certainly don’t want to waste that opportunity and want to be at their best.
“This whole week there’s certainly been a spring in the step (of the players). We have two games to try to get ourselves into a final, to win a trophy, and that is a real credit to everybody. However, there is also that responsibility, and that feeling of responsibility to make sure we get the job done on Friday night. And so far so good as far as preparation goes.”
Lam has brought back a host of international players for tonight’s game, with Charles Piutau, Semi Radradra, Kyle Sinckler, Steven Luatua and Nathan Hughes among those returning after being rested from last Sunday’s Gallagher Premiership defeat at Wasps.
The two sides have met in the Challenge Cup twice previously with each club registering a home win in the pool stage of the 2006-07 campaign. Bristol have lost just one of their last ten Challenge Cup games and are unbeaten in their last six in a row – the club’s best run in the competition.
Meanwhile, Bristol have been chosen to act as a pilot event for
Premiership Rugby, with 1,000 supporters able to attend the fixture against Leicester Tigers at Ashton Gate on September 30 (5.30pm).
Bristol’s game, along with Bath’s home match against Gloucester on Tuesday, are part of the series of test events the Government has approved to pilot the safe return of spectators, adhering to social distancing measures.
Bristol Bears: Charles Piutau; Luke Morahan, Semi Radradra, Piers O’Conor, Henry Purdy; Callum Sheedy, Andy Uren; Jake Woolmore, Harry Thacker, Kyle Sinckler, Dave Attwood, Chris Vui, Steven Luatua (capt), Ben Earl, Nathan Hughes. Replacements: Will Capon, Yann Thomas, John Afoa, Joe Joyce, Dan Thomas, Harry Randall, Max Malins, Alapati Leiua.