Lam Compares Champions Cup Fixtures to ‘Test Matches’

Following Bristol Bears’ victory over Harlequins, which marked Joe Marler’s last game at the Stoop, director of rugby Pat Lam characterized his team’s forthcoming Champions Cup fixtures as “Test matches.” The Bears are scheduled to commence their European campaign this Sunday against United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster. They will then travel to face La Rochelle, the European champions of 2022 and 2023, on the subsequent weekend. These initial two rounds of the tournament will follow Lam’s team’s dominant 48-24 victory over Harlequins, delivered in an impressive performance at the Stoop on Friday. Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol, Lam stated, “For us, it’s like we’ve got to play two Test matches now. We’ve got to play Ireland, we’ve got to play France and that’s something we can all be excited about but we’ve got to get the work done. What we do now is just about the work we put in and we’ll continue to do that.” Presently, the Bears occupy the second position in the Premiership table, having accumulated 29 points from seven games. Leaders Bath surpass their West Country rivals solely on points difference.