Bristol Bears boss Pat Lam was left happy with his side after a 49-34 victory against Gloucester at Kingsholm.
Lam’s side are now on a two-game winning run and are showing the signs of a team that will tough it out.
HOW BOUT THEM BEARS? 🐻 #GLOvBRI | #BristolBears pic.twitter.com/ePkzppaGKF
— Bristol Bears 🐻 (@BristolBears) October 17, 2025
“I know this team has always had fight and the forward pack always gets overshadowed because they want to talk about fancy tries.
“because of the amount of changes and new players and the quality we’re missing we’re not flowing like we used to, so we are having to guts it out and fight and I liked seeing that this week and last week”
The Bears have been at the wrong end of a long injury list this season and have added two more concerns to a long list after Max Pepper and Steve Luatua came limping off the pitch.
“When you have 4g pitches and whenever someone falls on your legs when you make tackles, and your feet get stuck it happens.
“They both ended up with strains, it was the hamstring for Max Pepper and Stevie was the calf.
“I’m hoping because we don’t have anyone coming back yet so I’m hoping we will have a back line next week”
Despite growing injuries at the club Lam showed class and highlighted the similar situation George Skivington’s side finds itself in:
“I feel for George (Skivington) as well them (Gloucester) and us have suffered many injuries”
The west country side have made a lot of changes to the squad due to the long injury list and the Director of Rugby is happy with how is side is coping with the new personnel:
“I am really proud of this group we’re adjusting and adapting with new players coming in and new players going out”
“I am blowing the whistle a lot in training, which I don’t normally do because I don’t want any more injuries, there are a few boys in pink bibs which means don’t touch them.
“Maroni coming in and never played, max pepper now starting on the wing and young Sam Worsley it’s about leaving the building with understanding what we are trying to do with only one training session last week and the week before”
New singing Matias Maroni made his debut for the Bears against the Cherry and Whites on Friday and left a good impression.
“Matias Maroni got in on a short-term contract not many guys can walk into the Bristol bears team but again we streamlined it for him and as I said before the game I have so much confidence in him and the leadership he came in with and took control”
The Argentinian International slotted right into the side and made a big difference on the Bears’s way to a big win.
The Bears will now travel to Bath for a big derby game on Saturday, 25 October.
It's Derby Week 👊
— Bristol Bears 🐻 (@BristolBears) October 20, 2025
Who's joining us at The Rec on Saturday? 🙋♂️ pic.twitter.com/2wkpjZLDEh
“We noticed they rested players which they can they have a great squad, and we know they will be fully loaded for us next week.
“That is nothing that we don’t expect we have had two derbies, but this is probably the big one we know we are way under powered for it but not at heart.”
