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Michael Hooper weighs in on Jac Morgan clear-out
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The 'adversity' message Pat Lam has for frustrated Bristol fans
By Liam Heagney
Pat Lam has issued a message to frustrated Bristol fans to keep the faith, that there is every reason for them to be excited about what is around the corner despite the first underwhelming season of the five-year director of rugby’s reign. The Bears were knocked out of Europe last weekend at the round of 16 stage while their Gallagher Premiership title hopes were extinguished long ago.
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Last year, just eight months after they won the European Challenge Cup final in October 2020 versus Toulon, Bristol finished on top of the Premiership table with 16 wins and a draw in the 21 matches they got to play.
That helped to harvest a points total of 85, a number they are now currently 48 points shy of following a miserable campaign in which they have won just six of their 20 matches so far for a total of 37 points. It leaves them in tenth place, 13 points off London Irish in eighth who occupy the last Heineken Champions Cup qualification place for next season.
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With just four matches remaining between now and the final round of the season on June 4, starting this Friday night at home to playoff-chasing Gloucester, it’s been a season to forget for Bristol and Lam has no problem with supporters telling him so. He just also wants them to remember that things could be very different this time next year.
“I get fans all the time talking, pretty much every day really being on the street, neighbours, people I bump into in shops and stuff and generally they are very supportive,” explained Lam when asked by RugbyPass if he gets much feedback from the Bristol fans when he goes about his daily business away from the training ground.
“They know we are not happy with the way this season has gone. We have had fine margins that could have easily gone the other way like it was last year when fine margins did go our way. But they know that the boys and ourselves are working hard and they are loyal supporters. You get people who vent, but even when you are winning people will vent. That is what I love about the game, there is so much passion about it.
“The Bristolians, the Bristol people, are really good supporters that have a lot of love and a lot of support for the team and they rightly get annoyed when they know we are not playing as well as we could be playing. I know when they watch games now the expectation is a lot higher from what we have done over the last five years and that adds to the frustration. We completely understand that and I understand that.
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“But as far as supporters, it’s the same everywhere I have coached. I always say this, and I say the same to the players, I am never as good as people say I am and I am never as bad as people say I am. It’s about you being true and understanding that this is part of life, that the adversity reveals true character and these are the things that we continue to push. Everyone reacts differently but you have got to get people through it.”
So what is happening now will make the success all the sweeter if and when it materialises? “It sure does. Everyone only remembers the success. I always remember what it took to bring the success, so it is exciting what is around the corner.”
