Absence of Dan and Piers down to competition for places
PAT Lam has explained why two of the 2020-21 season’s outstanding performers have not been involved in Bristol Bears’ last two games.
Welsh flanker Dan Thomas and centre Piers O’Conor both started in Bristol’s 20-12 defeat to Exeter Chiefs on April 23, but have not featured since despite being fit.
Instead, Thomas, 27, and O’Conor, 25, both played in a behind-closed-doors friendly game, with the pair featuring against Gloucester on May 18, the day after the first team beat the Cherry and Whites 39-7 in the Gallagher Premiership.
The pair’s absence coincides with the injury return of two key stars in the form of England international back-rower Ben Earl and Fiji captain Semi Radradra, which goes some way to explaining why a place in the matchday 22 is hard to come by.
Director of rugby Lam said the situation is simple: “Selection is about performance - that’s all it is. There is competition there.
“There is competition in the back row, there is competition in the midfield. Everyone knows how it is and everyone is hungry to perform.”
While many see Bristol as a patchwork of stars, Lam is looking to create a tightly-knit side to deliver the Bears’ first Premiership title, having led the table since round six of the league.
But O’Conor and Thomas’ absence has raised some eyebrows as they have become firm favourites with the fans, with the former being named the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Player of the Month in January and the latter winning multiple man-of-thematch awards.
However, Lam said he does not listen to the outside noise and individual accolades mean little to him when it comes to selection.
He said: “Supporters and people watching our games will see certain things but the beauty of our game is there are job descriptions and key things you need to do in our games that we, as coaches and most importantly the players, know.
“You guys (in the media) can say someone has played really well or you could say someone hasn’t played well, but I know as a former player the most important thing is what my team-mates and the team think and how well I have done my job for them.
“That creates competition and that creates consistency, even if someone has to come in and someone
else goes out. It doesn’t matter who it is, whatever the position is, the roles are exactly the same and it is about how well you do your job.”
Despite not playing the last couple of games, according to the stats O’Conor, who has played 12 and 13 this season, is a top-10 performer across the board in the Gallagher Premiership; eighth for defenders beaten (46), sixth for metres made (835) and seventh for clean breaks.
Meanwhile, Thomas is the Bears’ top tackler with 185 - putting him fifth in the league stats and seventh in the turnover rankings.
However, perhaps more importantly, Bristol were dominated at the breakdown in Thomas’ last appearance against Exeter and have since put in significant work on the training ground at the ruck,
with impressive consequences against Bath and Gloucester.
But, in truth, selection headaches because you have too many high-quality players is just about every coach’s dream.
Lam added: “My job and the coaches’ job is difficult and it is about selecting who is the best person to play.
“Dan Thomas has got competition with Ben Earl, Jake Heenan, Fitz Harding - there are some good back-rowers there. Piers has competition from Semi Radradra, Siale Piutau, Alapati Leiua, and Sam Bedlow - so there is good competition we have created over the four years (since Lam arrived at the club), but no one is guaranteed a spot. Everyone has to make sure they are performing.”