Lam reacts to Bristol's defeat to Leinster

NEWS: Pat Lam says Bristol will give it a “real good go” when they face a second major Champions Cup test in succession against La Rochelle next Saturday.

Bristol heads to France after four-time tournament winners Leinster brushed them aside 35-12 at Ashton Gate.

The Premiership high-fliers had no answer to a second-half scoring blitz that saw Leinster post three tries in six minutes.

Their cause was not helped by an early injury to influential fly-half AJ McGinty, and then England prop Ellis Genge went off just after half-time.

“It was a huge disruption losing AJ,” Bristol boss Lam said. “It had an effect on our game and being able to play our shapes, but the boys competed and kept coming at them.

“They showed their strength, there were a couple of tries through the middle, but I can’t fault the boys for hanging in there.”

Lam said that Genge suffered calf muscle cramps, but should be fine for the La Rochelle trip.

With just four pool games before the round of 16 is decided, Bristol could find themselves up against it if they lost to twice Champions Cup winners La Rochelle, who began their campaign with an away victory over Premiership leaders Bath.

“I know we rattled them (Leinster) in the first half,” Lam added. “I was really gutted when the rain came in. We wanted a dry pitch.

“It was always going to be tough (against La Rochelle) because they played on Friday. We will have a short week, but we are going to give it a real good go.”

Leinster had three players yellow-carded, yet Sam Prendergast’s 20-point haul – two tries and five conversions – underpinned an outstanding success that saw them cruise away from a 7-7 interval scoreline.

New Zealand international Jordie Barrett touched down on his Leinster debut, and there were also scores for wing Jordan Larmour and flanker Josh van der Flier in an emphatic bonus-point win.

Bristol struck first through a Max Lahiff try that Benhard Janese van Rensburg converted, while wing Gabriel Ibitoye crossed late on, but Lam’s team must now pick themselves up for the La Rochelle examination.

Leinster’s quest for a fifth Champions Cup crown continues against Clermont Auvergne next weekend, and head coach Leo Cullen said: “We are pleased to get the win.

“The second half was a lot better than the first half. We got on the wrong end of a lot of calls. The yellow cards put a lot of pressure on us.

“When it was 14 (players) on 14, we scored three tries and played some really good stuff in that period of the game.

“It was great that Jordie got 40 minutes. It has taken a lot of work in terms of getting him here (to Leinster), and hopefully, he will play a big part throughout the season. He is a quality person and a quality player.”