Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Lam to the Slaughter: Connacht's Pro12-Winning Coach Is Heading To Bristol

Pat Lam

Wish Pat Lam luck – he has just accepted the most difficult job in English rugby, writes James Harrington.

ADVERTISEMENT

The announcement that the former Samoan international Pat Lam has decided to leave Pro12 side Connacht at the end of the season for English club Bristol surprised – and upset – more than a few rugby fans in Ireland.

https://twitter.com/bundeeaki12/status/805714990921609220

Connacht centre Bundee Aki, who signed a new contract with the club in October, was not alone in his disappointment.

https://twitter.com/eointonge/status/805725374806159360

And no wonder. Lam, whose coaching star is on a near-vertical trajectory, guided the least fashionable of the Irish provinces to their first-ever Pro12 title last season and, after four seasons in Galway has become something of a local sporting legend.

Now he’s leaving the west of Ireland to head for a west-of-England club rooted to the bottom of the English top flight, one that has lost its 10 opening games and looks an odds-on relegation certainty after just one season in the Premiership.

That fact may have upset Connacht fans, but the near-certainty that Lam will join a side in the English second tier, and will swap the Champions Cup for the Championship, is neither here nor there. He said: “I’m committed to Bristol irrespective as to what happens in the short-term – everything is in place for the club to be a force in the future and I’m honoured to be invited to join the journey.”

Now, though, he must prepare himself for face a task that proved too much for his predecessor, Andy Robinson, the man who finally guided the club to promotion after play-off near-misses in 2014 and 2015, but was sacked as the club’s director of rugby after just seven matches this season.

It proved too much for London Welsh. Twice. They were promoted in 2012 and 2014 – only to be relegated again at the end of the following season. The exiles’ last assault on the Premiership ended with 22 defeats in 22 games, along with losses in all their European Challenge Cup and Anglo-Welsh Cup matches.

[rugbypass-ad-banner id=”1473723660″]

Here’s the farce of it. Bristol finished their Championship-winning season 16 points clear of the chasing pack. For months, it was clear to anyone paying even the vaguest attention that they were the best side in the league. But no player would sign for them – and they were being left way behind in the open season for the signatures of out-of-contract players, which officially starts on January 1.

Why? Because their elevation to the top flight was not assured. And the longer it was not assured, the further behind they got.

Despite their clear superiority in the Championship, they still had to play Doncaster in a two-leg play-off in May – and those two play-off defeats in the previous two seasons weighed heavily. Their promotion was confirmed on May 25.

By the time Bristol’s billionaire owner Steve Lansdown could finally open his cheque book, five months after most Premiership clubs, the ink was already dry on most new deals. And Bristol were forced to head into the Premiership season lacking the strength in depth of the 11 other sides they would be facing.

Reports suggest that Lam will have a sizeable war chest to plot an immediate return to the top tier of English rugby. It is in his interest to secure as many signatures as possible this season with a ‘jam tomorrow‘ promise of future Premiership rugby. Otherwise, they could yo-yo between the leagues for years to come.

He should thank all those gracious Connacht fans who have already offered their good wishes. He’ll need all the help he can get.

https://twitter.com/seriousnotions/status/805725799324286977

https://twitter.com/unlaoised/status/805725791619313664

 

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 3 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
Search