BONUS FOR LAM
Bears respond to hairdryer treatment
19 PAT LAM’S half-time rocket poked the Bears into action as his side came from behind to move second in the Premiership.
The Bristol boss gave his men the hairdryer treatment when they trailed 9-5 – turning the air blue at The Stoop before seeing them land a bonus-point win.
The visitors scored three tries after the break to run out convincing winners against Quins.
Skipper Steven Luatua, who had a storming match after coming back from a calf injury, scrum-half Harry Randall and replacement Niyi Adeolokun all crossed after the break as Harlequins waved the white flag.
There was a supercharged performance from Bristol No.8 Nathan Hughes who looked back to his England best, and fly-half Callum Sheedy did the rest with his boot.
Lam said: “I just opened the door that went out to the bus. I said: ‘ There are two doors you can choose, fellas.
“If we are going to continue playing like that as individuals, and not as The Bears, just step on the bus.
“But if you want to go back out the other door and play, you are going to have to play as a team and as The Bears’.
“We were woeful, probably the worst 40 minutes we have had for a while. So fair play to the lads.
“There wasn’t too much about tactics, the opportunities were there – we just had to do it collectively as a group.
“The boys turned it on and we started to play as a team. It was a good lesson for us to still win the game and get five points – to deny them anything – it is a massive effort and testimony to the guys. They know who – pretty much everyone.”
Quins tackled to a standstill before the break but ran out of gas as Lam’s men turned up the heat in the second half.
Fly-half Marcus Smith scored all his side’s points but by the time he went over for a try at the death the game was done and dusted.
The hosts could have had a comfortable lead after 40 minutes but prop Wilco Louw had a try chalked off and it was all downhill from there.
Boss Paul Gustard moaned: “I thought we were very good as a team in the first half. Our maul defence was exceptional. Then before half-time we don’t get the score, and it goes 9-5 instead of maybe 16-0.
“I thought the question asked was the wrong way round and I can’t see why he couldn’t have awarded the try. It was a big decision.
In the second half they controlled possession, we put pressure on ourselves and two or three lapses were punished.” HARLEQUINS: Try: Smith; Con: Smith; Pens: Smith (4)
BRISTOL: Tries: Thomas, Luatua, Randall, Adeolokun; Cons: Sheedy (2); Pen: Sheedy