After the limp display away at London Irish it was heartening to see Pat Lam select a strong side on paper for the trip to Parma Zebre, including welcome returns for the pint-sized Jedi, Harry Randall, and the Tank on the Flank, Siva Naulago.
The hope was that a visit to the Italian city famed for its thinly sliced pork would inspire the Bears to avoid another ham-fisted performance akin to the one experienced the week before.
As it turned out, it wasn’t until the second half that Bristol finally emerged from the fog of ill-discipline and indecision to race to a comfortable six-try victory and yet again provide us fans with a glimpse of what is possible if we succeed in mastering the basics and playing to our strengths.
