Bears boss revels in long-awaited victory
BRISTOL Bears boss Pat Lam was delighted to finally get one over on Wasps after his side ended a 15-year wait for a victory against their Gallagher Premiership rivals with a well-earned success at Ashton Gate.
The Bears had not beaten Wasps since a 26-21 win at the Memorial Stadium in 2006, suffering 13 defeats in a row in the meantime.
However, fifth-choice fly-half Tiff Eden kicked three penalties and four conversions to help Bristol recover from an early deficit to claim a win that, as well as ending their Wasps hoodoo, saw them extend their lead at the top of the Premiership to 11 points ahead of Saturday’s matches.
Piers O’Conor, Joe Joyce, Niyi Adeolokun and Chris Vui scored Bristol’s four tries in Friday night’s bonus point victory, leaving rugby director Lam to savour a longawaited success.
The Samoan said: “It’s one team we wanted to beat as it’s 15 years since we’ve done so, and the first time in my coaching career that I have beaten them.
“We were 10-0 down but we worked our way through that bad start to get a bonus point.
“We knew we had to kick a lot more in the conditions, but we stuck to our game-plan as we can’t run the ball all the time.
“The final score doesn’t really reflect the closeness of the game as
BRISTOL BEARS ............. 37 WASPS .............................. 20
our discipline wasn’t good enough at times.”
Injury-hit Bristol had Eden at flyhalf as Callum Sheedy and Max Malins were on international duty, Ioan Lloyd was on the treatment table and Sam Bedlow suspended.
Lam said: “Tiff had a great night, the guys got right behind him in the week and gave him every encouragement to go out and enjoy the game.”
Wasps scored the game’s first try through Sione Vailanu’s 16thminute effort, but did not cross again until the 78th minute when Josh Bassett touched down. Jimmy Gopperth converted both tries and kicked two penalties, but it was not enough to prevent Wasps from crashing to a sixth defeat in seven.
Bristol: C Piutau; Adeolokun, Purdy, O’Connor, Naulago; Eden, Uren; Y Thomas, Byrne, Lahiff, Attwood, Joyce, Luatua, D Thomas, Hughes. Replacements: Fricker for Naulago (67), Woolmore for Y Thomas (63), Capon for Byrne (48), Afoa for Lahiff (41), Heenan for Attwood (63), Vui for Hughes (48). Not Used: Kessell, Powell. Scorers – Tries: O’Connor, Joyce, Adeolokun, Vui. Cons: Eden 4. Pens: Eden 3.
Wasps: Miller; Kibirige, Fekitoa, Gopperth, Bassett; Umaga, Porter; West, Oghre, Toomaga-Allen, Rowlands, Gaskell, Shields, Young, Vailanu. Replacements: Minozzi for Miller (61), Le Bourgeois for Umaga (75), Vellacott for Porter (67), Harris for West (64), Taylor for Oghre (61), Owlett for Toomaga-Allen (69), Douglas for Gaskell (31), T Willis for Vailanu (62).
Scorers – Tries: Vailanu, Bassett. Cons: Gopperth 2. Pens: Gopperth 2.
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU).