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'What a trooper': The pain barrier on-loan Lane battled at Bristol

(Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images

Emergency Bristol full-back Rich Lane has likely played the last time for the Bears as an injury sustained in last weekend’s Heineken Champions Cup loss to Sale will sideline him for the remainder of his loan spell from Bedford. The 28-year-old was playing Championship rugby as recently as February 27 this year when the Blues won away at Nottingham.  

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Just seven weeks later, Lane was lining out for the biggest match of his club career, starting at full-back for Bristol in their round of 16 European second leg game at Ashton Gate after four Bears appearances in the weeks leading up then, two in the Gallagher Premiership and two more in the Premiership Cup. 

Lane previously played four times in the Challenge Cup in the 2013/14 season at Bath, his three-year spell there ending without him playing in any Premiership game. He since played two years for Jersey in the Championship and was just coming to the end of his fifth season in the second-tier league at Bedford when the call came from Pat Lam asking would he be interested in a loan switch to Bristol.  

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The full-back said yes and having debuted on March 13 versus league champions Harlequins, Lane was chosen for his fifth Bristol start when Sale came to town last weekend for the all-English clash in Europe. He only played the first half, a pre-arranged plan by Lam who wanted to bring marquee player Charles Piutau off the bench for the start of the second half. 

But it has since emerged that Lane played through the pain barrier for Bristol with an injury that will mean he has played the last time for the Bears. Asked by RugbyPass what he had made of the contribution of the No15 in his short spell since arriving at the club, Lam replied: “About seven minutes into the game he got stood on.

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“Arron Reed went to step left and he landed right on top of Richard’s foot so it broke this third bone in his foot but what a trooper – he went right the way to half-time. He just limped around and he made a try-saving tackle when they poked their nose through. We thought it was just bruising on his foot but he went through (to the interval). He knew he was only doing 40 anyway and Charles would do the second 40, but he guts it out and when was saw the scans and it was a clean break. That’s tough. 

“That says a lot about him as far as his character goes. As a player, his coverage and understanding at full-back, it’s the only position he plays and that is why we looked at him because we had a lot of guys at full-back, wingers playing full-back or centres playing full-back outside of Charles. He has shown he can play at this level. 

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“The injury will be six weeks. With the season (soon coming to an end), that is going to rule him out,” continued Lam, who added that the on-loan Lane had showcased sufficient talent to suggest he would be a fine player at Premiership level.

“There are players everywhere in the Championship, in the different leagues if you look for them and it all comes back to what you are looking for. We went for Rich because we really wanted a leader in that full-back position when Charles was unavailable.

“We wanted someone that really understood the role well, particularly backfield coverage. So we went looking for it and we found it. We knew Rich because when we played in the Championship (in 2017/18) he cut us open back then, but he has come up here and shown that he certainly belongs at this level.” 

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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 2 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
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TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
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