Pat Lam: Bristol Bears boss promises fans brighter future after huge loss

The away defeat saw his team get shutout by the hosts in the first half of play before scoring three consolation tries in the second half with two coming from departing number eight Nathan Hughes.

Lam‘s side have struggled this year despite coming off the back of a first-place finish in the 2020/21 campaign which was ended sooner than expected by a shock comeback-defeat to Harlequins in the playoffs.

Following Saturday’s painful loss to Sale, the Bristol boss has promised fans “we’ll come back stronger” next season.

“That first half probably summed up our season,” admitted Lam in a separate interview for PRTV following the defeat.

“It was 28-0 and from our first nine lineouts, either we turned them over at the lineout or the maul. I said to the boys that I’ve never coached a team that loses nine lineouts, we spoke about it at half time.

“Fair play, we said ‘Let’s go enjoy our rugby, let’s get out there’ because in the first half we blew two really good long-range tries and we showed there was opportunity but we had no possession because we were turning the ball over.

“Fair play to the boys, we won that second half 19-14 but we coughed over two easy tries and we were chasing the game all the time, but these boys never give in.”

However, unfortunately for Bristol winning the second half meant nothing to the outcome because the team still left Sale with zero points to show for their efforts, largely because of the dire first half of play.

With the result meaning Bristol finish in 10th place in the Premiership, Lam will be hoping for a more positive season when the 2022/23 campaign rolls around and is looking forward to starting the preparations in a month’s time.

“I think it’s time for a good break but we’re pretty excited