Lam eyeing attention to detail in pre-season
PAT Lam took plenty of positives from Bristol’s high-scoring win over Exeter in the Gallagher Premiership on Friday night – but promised a hard pre-season for his players to put right the shortcomings of a disappointing season overall.
The Bears withstood a Chiefs fightback from 14 points down in an 11-try thriller, but wing Toby Fricker’s interception try and a later Luke Morahan score saw Bristol home.
Fricker and Morahan apart, fullback Charles Piutau crossed twice for Bristol, with fly-half Callum Sheedy and centre Alapati Leiua also touching down, while Sheedy kicked four conversions and Ioan Lloyd one.
Exeter went blow for blow through touchdowns for Santiago Grondona, Josh Hodge, James Kenny, Olly Woodburn and Dave Ewers, while Joe Simmonds booted four conversions, but the Bears prevailed with a powerful finish.
It was only their eighth win of a poor Premiership campaign, which will see them finish tenth regardless of the result in their final game of the season
Bristol rugby director Lam said: “We talked about enjoying this game and working hard and playing with no fear.
“If people look closely at what we have done, we have grown the
BRISTOL BEARS ............. 40 EXETER CHIEFS ............ 33
framework of our game a lot. What we are lacking is just the technical detail across the board.
“We have got to get better and get our fundamentals right. That is an area we are going to be driving very hard in pre-season.”
Exeter boss Rob Baxter said: “When you concede 40 points, you’re not going to win.”
Bristol: Piutau; Morahan, O’Connor, Leiua, Fricker; Sheedy, Randall; Woolmore, Thacker, Afoa, Attwood, Joyce, Vui, Jeffries, Luatua. Replacements: Bates for O’Connor (46), I Lloyd for Sheedy (56), Uren for
Randall (68), Benz-Salomon for Woolmore (78), Byrne for Thacker (48), Armstrong for Afoa (68), Harding for Attwood (53), D Thomas for Luatua (62).
Scorers – Tries: Sheedy, Piutau 2, Leiua, Fricker, Morahan. Cons: Sheedy 4, I Lloyd.
Sin Bin: Bates (56).
Exeter: Hogg; Woodburn, Slade, Whitten, Hodge; J Simmonds, S Maunder; Hepburn, Yeandle, Williams, Gray, S Skinner, Ewers, Kirsten, Vermeulen. Replacements: Hendrickson for Hodge (43), Kenny for Hepburn (53), Innard for Yeandle (53), Schickerling for Williams (53), D Jenkins for Vermeulen (56). Not Used: Grondona, Townsend, H Skinner.
Scorers – Tries: Grondona, Hodge, Kenny,
Woodburn, Ewers. Cons: J Simmonds 4.
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU).
RUGBY RESULTS
Gallagher Premiership: Bristol Bears 40 Exeter Chiefs 33, Wasps 7 Sale Sharks 16, Bath Rugby 27 London Irish 24, Harlequins 28 Gloucester Rugby 24, Newcastle Falcons 5 Leicester Tigers 27, Saracens 42 Northampton Saints 38.
Latest standings (after 23 of 24 rounds): Leicester 90, Saracens 87, Harlequins 79, Northampton 70, Gloucester 68, Sale 65, Exeter 64, London Irish 63 (played 24), Wasps 60, Bristol 48, Newcastle 33, Bath 33, Worcester 30.
Championship Cup final: Ealing 19 Coventry 13.