Pat Lam insists Bristol Bears will be back fighting at the top table in Europe and the Premiership before long despite losing by 30 points to table-toppers Leicester Tigers on Saturday.
The Bristol director of rugby watched with a now regular sense of frustration as his side were beaten 56-26 at Welford Road in Round 24 of the 2021/22 Gallagher Premiership.
The defeat, the Bears’ 15th of the league season, sees them stay in 10th place in the standings and the club are now mathematically unable to climb any higher with two games remaining, meaning they will miss out on Champions Cup qualification next season.