Bristol Bears' partying put on hold as Wasps' Covid outbreak means Pat Lam must flush the 'celebration juices' out
Having raided the city’s charity shops, Bristol Bears’ players assembled in a variety of garish and floral outfits at their high-performance centre for “S*** Shirt Day” in what was supposed to be their end-of-season celebratory barbecue.
A beer bottle had yet to be opened when director of rugby Pat Lam informed the squad that they might yet be playing in the Gallagher Premiership final on Saturday as a result of Wasps’ coronavirus outbreak. The booze was quietly carted away. “We signed off the season, then we were going to have a big barbecue and team social, then go off on holiday,” Lam said. “But it got to midday and we were told that there wouldn’t be a decision until Wednesday, so we had to stop everything. We still had our food together, but we had to stick to soft drinks and water.”
A few players still had a fair bit of alcohol sloshing around their system after beating Toulon 32-19 in the Challenge Cup final on Friday night, which represents a first major trophy in 37 years. Many of the squad did not go to bed that night, with a 7am start on Saturday for the flight home from France. The celebrations continued – locally – over the weekend.
“We’d had beer and wine but we hadn’t had any cider, so a few of them had some cider,” Lam said. “I went home to spend some time with my family, but I know some of the boys caught up on Sunday as well. They did normal things, thinking that there was probably a one per cent chance that we were going to be involved (in the Premiership Final).”
That percentage now looks considerably higher after three further Wasps players tested positive on Saturday, bringing the total in the last week to seven. As agreed by the Premiership clubs before the league resumed, if a club is unable to compete in the final because of coronavirus then the highest league finishers will take their place.
Competing in Premiership finals was always part of Lam’s vision for the club, but having been soundly beaten in the semi-final he admits these circumstances are extremely unfortunate. “We absolutely believe that Wasps and Exeter should be contesting this final. They thoroughly deserve it,” Lam said. “We ourselves have been put in a situation that isn't ideal, but everything with Covid isn't ideal, including the fact we're waiting for the final to be played now at the end of the season we've had. If the goalposts get moved we adapt, we adjust and get going. This is not ideal. We want Wasps and Exeter but the way the regulations are, it is easy for us to say ‘let’s go on holiday’, but this is what we signed up to do.”
It will mean England and Wales players no longer entering international camps while many others, including Lam, have put holidays on hold. Lam will name a provisional squad on Tuesday and conduct some light work, in part to help flush the “celebration juices” out. Wednesday will be a recovery day and should they take Wasps’ place in the final then a “fast” training session will go ahead on Thursday.
Tuning up for a Premiership final against the Heineken Cup champions with one full-scale session is far from ideal, but at least Lam has experience in whipping half-drunk players into shape as a past coach of the Barbarians.
“That helps me a lot,” Lam said. “I know that you can get a lot done in minimal time. It is all about the quality rather than quantity. Flick the switch, that is what we did with the Baa-Baas and what I have done before. At the end of the day, we are competitors with a lot of pride. I have no doubt, 100 per cent, that it’s about flicking that switch. We showed last weekend that we are rugby-ready.”
