Randall ready to carry fine Bristol form into new year

England scrum-half returned from injury to a side riding the crest of a wave and now hopes to catch Steve Borthwick’s eye

- Luke McLaughlin

Harry Randall and Bristol enter the new year with high hopes. The scrumhalf has returned to fitness ahead of schedule after hamstring surgery and made his 150th Bears appearance in the win against Newcastle last Saturday.

Pat Lam’s side approach the Prem encounter with Sale at Ashton Gate today after five straight victories, sitting fourth in the table, their attractive style having clicked. A fresh assault on the playoffs looks likely.

Randall played a part in England’s winning tour to the Americas last summer and a return to club action is a chance to restate his case for international selection before the Six Nations.

“We've had a change of mindset;’ says the 28-year-old of Bristol’s hot form. “We feel like we are a really hard team to beat now. Defensively we’ve made improvements from last year. The way we’ve been training and the preparation we’ve been doing has had a massive effect.”

Lam, the director of rugby, spoke this week of the hard work necessary from the forwards to create opportunities for Bristol’s sparkling back-line. Randall concurs that the fun stuff would not happen without a high work rate among the pack.