Pat Lam has praised the of battling attitude of star centre Semi Radradra who is still working to get back to his best after knee surgery in the Autumn.
Fijian international captain Radradra’s form has been solid but largely unspectacular since his playing return in December, which for a player who previously made world-class blockbuster moments his every day, has been a significant slump.
For the second successive week Radradra, 29, starts on the bench in Bristol’s biggest game of the season when Sale Sharks coming to Ashton Gate in the second leg of the last 16 knockout rounds of the 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup tonight with the Bears just a point better off on the aggregate score.
READ MORE: Bristol Bears v Sales Sharks LIVE: Team news and European Heineken Champions Cup build-up
Radradra, who Lam confirmed in midweek is in contract at the Bears next season, underlined his value when he crossed for a dynamic 40m solo try in the 10-9 victory over Sale last weekend and is considered central if the Bears are to mount a meaningful challenge in Europe to save their disappointing domestic season.
“Without a doubt the try shows what he can do,” Lam said. “The team provided the opportunity for Semi to line-break and Semi reminded everybody how world class he is at those things.
While Lam has previously admitted Radradra has ‘not been firing on all cylinders’ he insisted he remains a world-class talent.
He said: “Semi’s a real trooper. You guys see those moments, but we see the other moments that he’s created. Against Saracens, that chance for Joe Joyce, Semi and Charles were the ones to create that. They are world-class players who know the right time to give the ball.
“In every game there are moments they do things to open up chances for others which people don’t recognise.
“People want to see those star moments and I said after the game that he would be the first to admit he wants to be better.”
Asked whether Radradra had fully recovered from the knee surgery required after suffering an injury in the semi-final of the Olympic Sevens, Lam said: “Every day he works away on it (the knee injury), hopefully, every game he gets better.
“It is like all the guys, the older you get there are more niggles and injuries but guys work through it.
“The real tough players crack on, but some players say its a bit sore I can’t do this, but it is about understanding your body and what it can do because there is a difference between pain and injury.
“There is no perfect body in a contact sport, you are always going to have niggles. If anything Semi’s one of the mentally toughest at just cracking on and he just goes through it.”
“Is is something every player works through to be ready for game day.”
After fielding questions about his marquee man, Lam was quick to shift the limelight off Radradra.
He said: “Our game is a true team game.
“There is no point Semi being at his best if others aren’t. We need everyone to be at their best. If everyone is a six out of 10 because they have just done their jobs, then we will win the game. It is when you have got guys who are eight or nine and others who are one or two that you are in trouble.
“Everyone sees Semi’s scoring the try at Sale but I see the quality of the scrum to give him a platform, the passing and lines run to put him into space, and then he beats the last defender to score.
“But everyone else did their job to create the chance.”
Lam is putting his trust in his squad once again this weekend, trusting the ‘defensive abilities’ of Sam Bedlow and ‘work rate’ of Piers O’Conor in the centre, while Bedford Blues loanee Rich Lane starts at full-back for his European debut while former All Black Charles Piutau is on the bench again.
If Bristol reach their first-ever Champions Cup quarter-final, it will certainly have been a squad effort.
