Bristol Bears Director of Rugby Pat Lam Highlights Significance of Leinster Champions Cup Match

Pat Lam, Bristol Bears’ director of rugby, has stated that his team will encounter an opponent with an “unbelievable” track record when they welcome four-time champions Leinster for their Investec Champions Cup debut match on Sunday. Lam is aiming for a fourth consecutive home victory for the Bristol Bears. Leinster, led by Leo Cullen, will arrive at Ashton Gate having won all seven of their United Rugby Championship (URC) fixtures. However, Lam expressed confidence that Bristol, who share the Premiership lead with Bath, can compete effectively in Europe. Lam, who won the competition as a player with Northampton Saints in 2000, commented, “This is probably the best prepared we [could be] in terms of form and where we’re at.” He added, “The Champions Cup is somewhere we aspire to be, and to be here and play Leinster, with their unbelievable history, is the type of rugby we want to be involved in. This is as good as it gets.” Only Toulouse, with six victories, surpass Leinster’s Champions Cup achievements. The experience of back row Viliame Mata, 32, could be crucial for Bristol following his recovery from injury. The Fiji international contributed to his new team’s 48-24 win against Harlequins on Friday, marking his return after undergoing surgery for a hamstring issue suffered during pre-season. Mata expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I was so excited to get back out there.” He continued, “I pulled through well, did my time in rehab and I feel strong.” He also noted, “I had a look at the clock – not even 20 minutes had gone and I was blowing so hard.” Mata concluded, “It’s always a dream to play the big teams from every league. It’s going to be a massive one but I back the boys.” He added, “We mentioned in the team meeting that it’s just like playing Ireland because most of their boys play for Ireland – they know each other so well.” Bristol’s upcoming schedule includes an away match against 2022 and 2023 European champions La Rochelle on December 14, followed by a home fixture against Italian side Benetton on January 12, and an away game at Clermont Auvergne six days subsequent to that. Prop Ellis Genge and scrum-half Harry Randall are available for selection against Leinster, having been rested previously. Lam also praised his younger squad members, who have “stepped up and performed,” contributing to their accumulation of 29 points from their initial seven league matches. Lam remarked, “This is what rugby is about – the team.” He continued, “Despite the challenge, we’ll have a good chance.” He reflected on his playing career, stating, “I’ve been blessed to win the Premiership [with Newcastle Falcons in 1998] and the Champions Cup as a player; they were both very enjoyable experiences, but the Premiership was only noted by the English, whereas the European Cup was worldwide.” Lam concluded by emphasizing the significance of the tournament: “The stakes are high and your reputation as a club can be made or lost by the competition. This is the biggest stage in northern hemisphere rugby.”