Pat Lam has revealed his anxieties over any of his Bristol Bears players contracting coronavirus explaining he wakes up at four o’clock in the morning to check test results and is open to his team going into a bubble if needed before their Challenge Cup final and if they were to make the Premiership final.
In the wake of 16 Sale players and three staff members testing positive for Covid-19 Lam explained just how seriously he has been speaking to players about their movements for the fear that a positive result could seriously dent his side’s chances at winning silverware.
“I told our covid manager I don’t care about waking up. It is a big relief [when the tests are negative]. “I am just glad we got through this week. Everyone is on high alert at the moment, particularly for the players regarding what they do and who they mix with.” said Lam ahead of his side’s first Premiership playoff since 2007 against Wasps on Saturday.
“We talk about how we have a genuine opportunity to win trophies. In the way no one wants to be the person who makes the mistake that leads conceding a try, no one wants to be the person that costs the team the opportunity for the trophy from making a wrong decision.
“The Bears’ high performance centre is probably the safest place you could be. Obviously, we have a big space and our head of medical Rory Murray has done a fantastic job. It doesn’t surprise me that the boys are negative for all these tests. My major concern is when they are away from here.
“As the second wave comes, the risk increases but all that means the precautions you take are even more so.”
Lam has not ruled out moving his side into a “bubble” environment in a hotel as Premiership clubs had discussed prior to rugby’s restart in August.
