Lam delighted with 'character' shown by Bristol in Rec defeat

BATH were worthy winners in a fiery derby clash with Bristol Bears, which threatened to boil over from practically the first whistle as two great clubs of English rugby went to war at the Recreation Ground for a full 91 minutes. That's not a typo.

- John Evely

As the clock ticked over into the 80, the two masses of players almost piled over the hordings into the stand as another bust up between the forwards kicked off, with Benjamin Grondona and Francois van Wyk both yellow-carded for their parts in the bust-up. It was as spicy a game as you will see all season in the Gallagher Prem as Bath matched the emotional intensity of their injury-hit visitors and met fire with fire to run out 40-15 winners.

Tries from Guy Pepper, Ollie Lawrence, Cameron Redpath, Joe Cokanasiga, Sam Underhill and Henry Arundell - internationals all - delivered victory for Bath, with Finn Russell adding 10 points with the boot. Kalaveti Ravouvou and Gabriel Oghre touched down for the Bears, with five points from the boot of Sam Worsley, but the visitors were kept scoreless in the second half as they ran out of steam against the blue, black and whites' high-calibre bench.

To Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam, pictured, the contest did not feel like a 40-15 defeat.

He said: "I loved the fight. This four weeks has been hugely challenging. But one thing that has been really revealing has been the character of the group. They could only train once together."

He added: "We said: 'Nothing for free. Let's fight for every moment.' And the boys just put their bodies on the line. The tackle count was something like 230 to 100. You do really see, during these last three or four weeks with the injuries we have, real character.

"George Kloska went in to jackal today and he picked up a hamstring injury, which is another one added to the list. But we just get a chance to regroup now.