Smith injury will send the Bears a tremor
BRISTOL coach Pat Lam will have winced when he heard that his new signing, George Smith, was forced to pull out of the Reds line-up for their Super Rugby game against the Rebels in Brisbane on Friday.
The news that veteran Wallaby flanker Smith, who will be 38 this month, was injured in the warm-up coincided with the release of the fixtures for the new Gallagher Premiership season, with Bristol’s return to English rugby’s elite league marked by an opening fixture against arch West Country rivals Bath at Ashton Gate on August 31.
Smith is renowned for his resilience, but, whether or not this latest setback is serious, it indicates that in this sport Old Father Time eventually catches up with even the toughest, most dedicated pros.
When Smith’s arrival at Bristol on a six-month contract was announced a couple of weeks ago Lam could not have been happier. He said: “It’s fantastic for Bristol Bears to bring in someone of that quality and experience – someone of George’s reputation is perfect for us.”
Lam then went through a list of unavailabilities which illustrated why Smith’s presence was so valuable. He said that Welsh openside Dan Thomas – who was outstanding for Bristol last season – will be out with a knee injury until November, that their Academy 7 Sam Graham is also injured, as is Kiwi Jake Heenan, while Pat’s cousin, Jack Lam, will be on international duty with Samoa during the Autumn internationals.
When it comes to experience Smith has been there and done it, not only winning 111 caps for Australia, but also enjoying a club career which has taken him from the Brumbies to Lyon, Queensland Reds, Stade Francais, Toulon, and Wasps.
His season at Wasps in 2015-16 was a triumph, with Smith turning back the years to win the Premiership and Wasps Player of the Year award after using all his guile and breakdown skill to make an indelible impression.
Whether he is able to do the same with another highly influential swansong for Bristol two years later is questionable, although Smith’s determination is not.
What is not in question is that Bristol face a brutal baptism on their return to the Premiership. The home game against Bath is followed by a trip to north London to face champions Saracens, and it does not get any easier in round three with another away trip to Kingsholm, where they face Gloucester in another West Country derby.
The landscape gets more mid to lower table after that with two home games, the first against Harlequins, and then the chance to test their mettle against Northampton. If they come through that with a couple of wins and a couple of losing bonus points they will be well set for their round six away trip to perennial relegation battlers Worcester on October 5.
At that stage Bristol will know where they stand with almost a third of the Premiership season completed, and Lam should be more aware than anyone that they will not have the luxury of bedding-in.
To survive, Bristol will have to confound the usual pattern among promoted Championship teams of struggling to come to terms with the forward power in the top league, and recognise that most mistakes that they make will be punished.
All Black imports John Afoa at tight-head and back rower Steven Luatua will be the linchpins up front, and will have to lead the way because the pack lacks Premiership experience in most departments – but at least this time they have the benefit of full pre-season training under Lam, and should be fit for purpose.
Lam says he is looking for a big start to the season against Bath in front of a full house at Ashton Gate. “Everybody is relishing the opportunity to test themselves in a fantastic competition.”
Bristol need to be ready from the get-go, because it is also an unforgiving competition for those who are not properly prepared.