Bears keep their eyes on the longer campaign
Bristol Bears go into Friday night’s meeting with Leicester Tigers with the chance to finish the first block of the Premiership season at the top of the table, yet director of rugby Pat Lam has urged his squad to look beyond the immediate standings.
The campaign has begun with three significant victories: an away success against Sale Sharks, a win over defending champions Northampton Saints and a hard-fought result against Exeter Chiefs, last season’s runners-up. The only defeat so far came against Saracens, when Lam rested several senior players for a match played on an artificial surface.
That sequence has left Bristol in contention for the summit before the league pauses for a month. A victory over Leicester would guarantee the Bears finish the opening section no lower than second. They would move into first place if Northampton defeat Gloucester, giving the club an early opportunity to lead the competition before the season resumes.
| Stage | Bears’ position in the campaign |
|---|---|
| Opening match | Victory away at Sale Sharks |
| Second major test | Win over Northampton Saints |
| Third major test | Hard-fought success against Exeter Chiefs |
| Only defeat | Loss to Saracens |
| Next fixture | Leicester Tigers on Friday night |
From pre-season concern to a strong start
The current position is a notable response to concerns raised before the season began. Lam had described the opening run of fixtures as the toughest start of his time in charge, and the early results have required the squad to deal with pressure as well as strong opposition.
He said the group had been “rattled” during pre-season, with players needing to regain their composure. The message from the coaching staff was to reduce the emotional noise, settle down and concentrate on the next task rather than allow one difficult moment to shape the wider campaign.
“People were losing their heads, and we had to settle down.”
That approach has been reflected in the way the Bears have approached the opening fixtures. The wins against Sale, Northampton and Exeter have placed them among the leading sides, while the Saracens defeat has not prevented Bristol from controlling its wider position in the table. The remaining challenge is to maintain that consistency when Leicester arrive for the final match before the break.
Position matters less than progress, says Lam
For Lam, the value of a possible first-place finish is limited at this stage of the season. He has said the squad’s confidence should come from its daily work, the effort to improve and the ability to raise performance levels, rather than simply from seeing Bristol’s name at the top of the standings.
- Win against Leicester: Bristol would finish the block at least second.
- Northampton defeat Gloucester: the Bears would move to the top if they also win.
- Long-term priority: accumulate as many points as possible and remain in contention until the end of May.
That longer view is central to Lam’s assessment. The league table in October can offer encouragement, but he believes its significance will become clearer later in the campaign. For supporters following the side from week to week, however, Friday’s fixture carries an immediate reward: a chance to complete an unusually demanding opening run with another win and a place near, or at, the Premiership summit.
The Bears’ task is therefore both simple and demanding. They must focus on the next performance against Leicester while preserving the discipline that has helped them recover from their unsettled pre-season. Whether the weekend ends with Bristol first or second, the club’s stated aim is to keep collecting points and ensure it remains among the contenders when the season reaches its decisive stages in the spring.
