With the start of the Gallagher Premiership season less than a week away, Planet Rugby spoke to Bristol Bears number eight Jordan Crane.
Recent history suggests that the joy of promotion to the English Premiership often gives way to the pain of fighting for survival the very next season but, if there is a team which can reverse that trend, it is Pat Lam’s ambitious Bristol squad.
Not since Exeter Chiefs in 2010/11 has the team coming up from the second-tier thrived in the league above. Even money means little should they get it wrong behind the scenes, as the experienced Crane knows all too well.
For a club whose financial power is significant, the Bristolians’ foray back in England’s top-flight in 2016/17 was an unmitigated disaster. And it all began before the season had even started. Recruitment was poor, there was upheaval in the coaching staff following Sean Holley’s departure and the squad was simply not prepared for the rigours of the Premiership.
The play-offs certainly played its part in that. Having dominated the Championship, winning 20 of their 22 matches during the campaign, they still had to go through four more games to secure promotion.
Andy Robinson’s charges did just that and they deservedly took their place at the highest echelon of England’s domestic pyramid, but realistically the Ashton Gate outfit were ill-equipped to compete.
It is something Crane readily admits but the 32-year-old is confident that those mistakes will not be repeated. Time, something that was lacking two years ago, has been handed to them after the abolition of the play-off system and, as a result, they appear far more self-assured.
“With the play-offs, it’s difficult for the team coming up because of recruitment and all that sort of stuff. You end up starting pre-season later so you’re not as prepared,” the number eight told Planet Rugby.
“Last time, we changed defence coach and attack coach so that wasn’t a smooth transition. This year we’ve had the luxury of Pat and Conor (McPhillips) being in all last season so we’ve got that continuity. Hopefully it’s going to give us a good head start on the rest of the teams.”
Following Bristol’s relegation in 2017, Lam came in from Connacht and immediately set about making changes. Of course, the all-singing, all-dancing approach, which was a hallmark of his time at the Irish province, was prevalent but the New Zealander also sought to alter other areas.
Crane said: “It’s just an accountability of players knowing their roles and knowing their responsibilities to the team, that’s one of the big things, and then we’ve worked hard on our culture; what sort of team and what sort of group we want to be.
“Pat’s done that really well. You look at most good teams, they’ve got a good culture, and that’s what we’re trying to build at Bristol. We’re trying to build it with the whole city as well.
“Away from the spotlight, it gave Pat a chance to implement his style and what he wanted from us as a team, and we could embed his culture into the side. It gave us an opportunity, so we are better prepared this time around for the Premiership.
“It’s inevitable that it’s going to be more intense, the physicality’s higher. Pat implemented a role and responsibility and for boys to know their detail, and there’s a real big emphasis on that in the team.
“That will help us to be more accurate as well and give us a better opportunity in terms of staying in games and winning games.”
Lam may have looked at improving the culture but the spending has not stopped, however, with Charles Piutau, John Afoa and George Smith among those to join a squad already boasting significant talent. Steven Luatua, Ian Madigan and Luke Morahan – all international quality players – unsurprisingly dominated in the Championship and Crane has been impressed the players’ attitude.
According to the back-rower, some showed their desire in pre-season by “coming in off their own back”, while the addition of Smith will both add competition and give them an opportunity to learn off a genuine great of the game.
“We’re all looking forward to learning from him,” Crane added. “He’s been one of the best players in the world for a long time so it will be great to learn off him, even us older guys.
“We’ve got quality in the back-row, plenty of competition and, if we’re all competing for spots, it’s only going to make us better as a team. It should be a good year.”
The Premiership is still a difficult beast for all promoted sides to crack but this Bristol outfit are the best placed for several years to not concern themselves with simply battling for survival.
by Colin Newboult