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What Pat Lam said to Kyle Sinckler in the Bristol dressing room last Saturday after his much-praised emotional reaction to Lions omission

(Photo by Ashley Western/MB Media/Getty Images)

Pat Lam has revisited last week’s dramatic few days involving Kyle Sinckler, the England tighthead who shrugged off his earth-shattering exclusion by the Lions to bounce back a little more than 50 hours later with a man of the match performance for league leaders Bristol that was followed by an emotional live TV interview.

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Sinckler has courted some negative headlines during his career but the determined way the front-rower used his Lions anger to fuel a captivating display for the Bears resulted in widespread admiration for him in the wake of a roller coaster ordeal that culminated in him wearing his heart on his sleeve when questioned on TV post-game.

It was a hot topic Lam breezily returned to on Wednesday when Bristol went back to work ahead of next Monday’s home meeting with Gloucester which will be staged in front of 3,000 fans at Ashton Gate. His players had attended a reserve game on Sunday but had Monday and Tuesday off before getting stuck back into a season where they qualified for the Gallagher Premiership semi-finals with last Saturday’s comeback win at Bath, a triumph in which Sinckler’s effort was inspiring.

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“Once we got up there into our changing room, that is where I got told Kyle was man of the match and would be up soon,” explained Lam about last weekend. “Everyone just chilled out, but as soon as Kyle came in and he had the man of the match award, we all gave him a clap.

“I had a few words to each player and I said (to him), ‘Great game, well done, thanks’ and he just said ‘thanks’ as well. Nothing too much, just normal stuff I go through when talking with players and that is what I want. That is a professional effort. He did his job and that is what you want from every player regardless. Everyone has different situations that they have to deal with and it’s about fronting on the field and he did that.

“The thing I’m pleased with is the situation with Kyle is no different from all players and staff – everyone has their moment of adversity. Whether that is something on the field, something off the field, that is what you are trying to create, the support network for everybody in whatever situation it is. So the support that Kyle got was no different from some of the support that everyone has got at pretty much different stages in their time here which is pleasing. That is what I want to see.”

Lam also recounted the moment last Thursday when he learned that Sinckler hadn’t been chosen for the Lions and he went on to further savour how his player reacted in the time that followed before running out on the pitch at The Rec two days later.

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“While he has shared that (emotion) publicly, we saw it in action from the moment it happened and he was awesome. It was a difficult situation because we were all together (watching the Lions announcement) and we just came out of a meeting – we all saw it and thought wow. Then we just got on with it and he got on with it and the group trained well.

Then someone showed me the message he put out on social media. We’re thinking the guy everyone thinks will get in doesn’t get selected and the way that he conducted himself in training, the way he trained and then the message that he put out about the Lions and getting behind them was all not only words but actions and then to perform the way that he did… this morning he (even) came in with a smile on his face all ready to go for training and contributed to the meetings. Yeah, a great example.”

Asked about the tear-jerking TV interview on Saturday, Lam added: “Obviously I have heard and seen (the reaction). It was raw emotion. He didn’t expect to be player of the match that day and be put in front of the cameras. From my perspective, when I was interviewed I’d no idea what they were going to show me when they said they were going to show me Kyle Sinckler’s interview.

“I was ‘oh now, what’s happened here?’ So that was the first time I saw it but what it highlighted was how much it means to him, how much he means to our team and the message that it gave was exactly that, it’s inspirational and (about) how to react.

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“I get asked this question lots: who do you admire, which players, and I always say any sportsperson that gets knocked down and comes back. I love that. I love the fact that it’s easy when you are selected, it’s more when you face adversity in life and how you bounce back from it. It’s another example of what life is about – we all get hit with adversity and the way you channel that and use it for good.”

Lam continued that he hadn’t reached out to Lions boss Warren Gatland or forwards coach Robin McBryde for an explanation as to why Sinckler wasn’t chosen as one of the three tightheads to tour South Africa. “No, no need at all. It’s nothing at all to do with me. That is the prerogative of the coaching group and the selecting group… I expect players to be disappointed the way they react (to non-selection), but it is the way they react and how they come back.”

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Oh no, not him again? 1 hour 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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