Rugby / Bristol Bears
Bristol versus Bath to be played in Cardiff in 2025
Bristol Bears are gearing up for the forthcoming season at the High Performance Centre on Beggar Bush Lane.
At a pre-season conference with Lansdown Club members, head coach Pat Lam admitted the last season had been one of two halves, with some late onset high-octane performances prompting fans to question, “why can’t we play like this all through the season?”
Lam also responded to concerns from members about the location of the Big Day Out, with the home fixture against Bath Rugby to be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
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The location of the fixture has proved controversial, but Lam looked to the positives.
“I understand that we would like to play every game at Ashton Gate. But we want to grow the game from a financial point of view with a bigger audience,” he said.
“And of course, there’s the playing perspective. I’ve played in lots of big stadiums, but that’s my favourite. The whole atmosphere: the roof goes up, you’re in the middle of the city, and the pre-match vibes.
“Our players are excited to go there. This is like Test Match rugby. This is a great experience for them. When we want to be playing in finals you have to play at places like Twickenham and Principality. So the more experience we get the better.”
Head coach Pat Lam sat down with Lansdown Club members and talked about the season ahead in detail – photo: Milan Perera
Fans have been venting their frustration at losing the home advantage against their Bath nemesis.
Commenting on social media, one questioned the logic of travelling 100 miles for a home fixture, while another suggested: “Someone at Bristol Sport needs to give their head a wobble.”
The much-talked about west country derby is to take place on May 10. Bristol Bears bosses expect a large contingent of home supporters to “raise the roof” of the Principality stadium.
Gavin Marshall, Bristol Sport chief executive, welcomed the Big Day Out, saying: “It is a great stadium and we are confident that we’ll put on a brilliant day out for the fans and win over any doubters.”
He added: “Hopefully we can make it a regular event in the rugby calendar.”
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At the conference, Lam also talked extensively about the importance of peak mentality where winning and losing are decided by fine margins.
He suggested there is a need to “be comfortable with the uncomfortable,” and for the team to grow as a close-knit unit and build camaraderie.
On improving the mental toughness of the squad, Lam said: “In any high-performance sport it’s important you’re physically fit, but you’ve also got to be able to deal with pressure.
“We talk about ‘high-pressure skills’, being able to do what you need to do. And we do a lot of practice in those situations. We have a very good high-performance skills coach in Tom Bates who works with GB Olympics. It’s a big part of what we do.”
Main photo: Bristol Bears
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