We lost but it was great to watch, says Lam
PAT Lam believes his side’s thrilling defeat to Gloucester last Friday is a continuation of a trendy, entertaining style of rugby that will help grow the sport’s market value.
The Bristol Bears director of rugby was frustrated to have conceded five ‘avoidable’ tries in their 44-41 reverse but credits Gloucester for playing an expansive all-court game at Ashton Gate.
He said: “So many people have told us what an amazing game that was. If you’re on George Skiving-ton’s side you’re happy, if you’re on our side you’re happy with bits and pieces but we certainly gifted a few opportunities and didn’t take a few.
“I love the way Gloucester are trying to play. It’s the way forward if you look at the Rugby Championship, what England are trying to do, France as well. The new laws that have come in, like the Dupont Law, you can really see the full effect of that. It’s made it a better spectacle. Of course you have to adjust with the weather coming up but that was a great game to watch.”
Lam is a big advocate for the law changes that have been trialled recently in the southern hemisphere and is particularly impressed by the Dupont Law introduced in July across the sport. A controversial loophole allowed players in an offside position to advance forward when the opposing ball carrier did the same and was named after the France scrum-half, who was one of the first to exploit the loophole.
Players can no longer be put onside when an opposition player catches the ball and runs five metres, or passes the ball, while offside players must make an attempt to retreat, and it is no longer possible to choose a scrum from a free-kick.
Lam said: “Most teams know you’ve now got more space. You’re always conscious of where someone’s kicking the ball from. Leicester took advantage of it last week. Guys in the backfield know that people can’t just stand in front anymore which is a brilliant change. Some of the situations in gameswere crazy, so fair play to World Rugby for bringing in these laws. It’s all about speeding the game up, making it more entertaining for the viewers.”
Bristol have been dealt an early season blow with winger Siva Naulago ruled out for at least two months after breaking his cheekbone last week. The 33-year-old Fijian has managed just 36 outings since joining in 2020 but possesses a remarkable strike rate with 19 tries, including a touchdown in the Gloucester defeat.
“Siva has been unlucky at times, other occasions he’s been banned. He’s been here a long time but has only played 36 times. He is a strike weapon but this is part of life and you have to be resilient. Hopefully he’ll return stronger when we need him.”
Lam is glad to have Pumas flanker Santiago Grondona from the Rugby Championship, adding: “He had a horrific knee injury just before the World Cup so was gutted to miss out on that and he’ll try to make amends this season. We work well with Felipe Contepomi (Argentina coach) and Santiago knows our game brilliantly, so has slipped back in pretty seamlessly.”
