Pat Lam is all about 'controlling the controllables,' so the idea of being dumped out of the European Challenge Cup by a technicality is the Bristol Bears director of rugby’s worst nightmare.
Last weekend French side Castres had to forfeit their quarter-final with Leicester Tigers after three players, as well as one staff member, had tested positive for Covid-19 in advance of the club’s planned departure to England.
EPCR, who run European rugby, decided to cancel the game on medical advice that the quarter-final could not go ahead safely in the circumstances.
Leicester advanced to the semi-finals where they face Toulon in France on the other side of the draw to Bristol Bears who take on Bordeaux Begles at Ashton Gate on Friday night.
Lam said: “We have certainly made changes after that Castre game was called off and with what is going on around the country to ensure that our standards, our hygiene and our social distancing, all of these things are stepped up; because we don’t want to be put in the situation that Castre were.
“It was a reality check for everyone.
“The last thing you want is to do all this work and then miss out on games because people are testing positive.”
Bristol Bears had been selected as one of the pilot events to welcome fans back into stadiums when the club host Leicester Tigers on September 30 in the Gallagher Premiership, but yesterday they confirmed supporters will no longer be able to attend the game following directives from the government.
Friday’s match will be Bristol’s first European semi-final and Lam is expecting a step up in opposition having dismissed the Dragons 56-17 in the quarter-finals behind closed doors.
“It is massive,” Lam said. “This is another step.
“Winning the quarter-finals was great but that is just another step, and the semis are another step to get to the final which gives you a chance to actually win the trophy.
“It is a big game, a massive game, and certainly with Bordeaux it is another step-up, another level up. They are a quality side who were doing very well in the Top 14 before Covid and have come back strong and they beat a very good Edinburgh side in the quarter-finals.”
Bordeaux were at the summit of the Top 14 table when rugby was stopped in France back in March, in no small part thanks to European Player of the Year nominee Semi Radradra who was swapped allegiances during the five month break in the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Fijian has hit the ground running at Bristol and will be a key weapon in their arsenal come Friday night.
Begles are currently eighth in the Top 14, with competition organisers scrapping the 2019/20 season and starting 2020/21 afresh. They have won one, lost one so far and beat PRO14 semi-finalist Edinburgh 23-14 last weekend.
