That’s the European dream over for this season with a controversial 36-17 defeat away in a sun-soaked Bordeaux.
Yes, the French team played well and put pressure on us all through that game. Yes, we were not at our swashbuckling best. But the combination of the referee and TMO not only cost us several points but most definitely cost us the game.
I’m sure Bristol Bears fans in the city and right across the world will be absolutely fuming with that refereeing performance.
Ask any fan from any sport - we don’t mind being beaten by a better team on the day. But when awful officiating is the deciding factor in a match it makes us livid.
On top of that the French TV broadcaster appeared to struggle to find more than two television angles for any potential Bordeaux infringement for the TMO to review. That’s despite there being a dozen or so cameras in the stadium!
One hallmark of a great team, that turns into a great dynasty, is that it learns from the experience of bitter defeat and never stops evolving.
While Pat Lam has said he wants to establish a core group of players that will play for the club for the next three or four years, there are still some positions where reinforcements are required if we are to reach the summit of European rugby.
Without fans in Ashton Gate for a year we know cash is tight, but we also know that Ben Earl and Max Malins are due back to Saracens at the end of the season which must free up a bit of headway in the salary budget.
Throw in the wages of our on-loan Argentinian international prop Nahuel Chaparro, who is off to Italy at the end of the season, and there seems to be room for the Bears to bring in one or two new quality players.
The question is does Pat have people in mind to bring in regardless of Saracens return to the top flight?
Or is he willing to gamble to see if he can retain Earl and Malins should Sarries stumble and fail to make it back to the Premiership.
Either way what today’s game showed is that if we want to win the Champions Cup we need to build year on year.
Tony Cox is the co-host of Bears Beyond The Gate. A weekly Bristol Bears rugby podcast made by fans for fans.
