PAT Lam says he will never stop plundering the rugby mine of the Championship and the leagues below it as he searches for unpolished gems.
Bristol’s director of rugby Lam announced three new signings last week, Pirates lock Steele Barker, Doncaster and former Bath hooker Tom Doughty and scrum-half Sam Edwards, who is at Cambridge on loan from Leicester.
“I have a recruitment manager and a recruitment analyst,” said Lam, below. We meet regularly and are always looking at the Championship, National League and BUCS (universities and colleges). There is talent there, a lot of it.
“They can give me a heads up and then you look at highlights and games. Once we are keen on someone we ask them in for a chat and that is what is most important. You get to know the person and that is what I am more interested in. You do not have to have the best players in the world, you need the hungriest and most coachable who have a real desire to succeed and who will help us become better as a team.”
Lam has form in recruiting from the divisions below and his successes include scrumhalf Harry Randall who joined in 2018 from Hartpury College and three years later won his first England cap.
“Fitz Harding was playing in the BUCS league when we signed him,” said Lam. “Ed Holmes was playing for Penzance, Piers O’Conor was at Ealing Trailfinders (having had loan spells at Henley Hawks and Bedford) and Jake Woolmore was at Jersey Reds.
“Joe Owen did not come through an academy. I saw him playing for Clifton, was impressed and invited him in for a chat. He was working in a bank and had never had a professional rugby contract.
“There was so much upside to him and he has really grown. We can provide players with all the resources but it is up to them to take off. Joe is the latest in a number of good examples of the players who were out there and I will always keep looking for real English talent who will not be content with coming here and being third or fourth in their position.
