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Pat Lam
Photo: Stefano Delfrate / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Bristol Bears Director of Rugby

Pat Lam

Role
Director of Rugby
Team
Bristol Bears
Nationality
Samoan
Age
58
In charge since
May 2019
Matches
37
Record W-D-L
18-0-19
Win rate
48.6%
Latest news

Record in our match database since Sep 2025

as of
  • 37 Matches
  • 18 Won
  • 0 Drawn
  • 19 Lost
  • 48.6% Win rate

Pat Lam has overseen 37 completed Bristol Bears matches in our database since September 2025 — 18 won, 0 drawn, 19 lost. That is a 48.6% win rate, with 1059 points scored and 1130 conceded.

Records are computed from the WeTalkRugby match database and cover matches we hold data for within this tenure. They are not an official all-time record.

Record by competition

— means no data from the provider
Pat Lam, record by competition in our match database
CompetitionPWDLWin %PFPA
All matches · Bristol Bears All competitions371801948.6%10591130
Premiership Sep 2025 – Oct 202621130861.9%607589
Premiership Rugby Cup Sep 2025 – Sep 20261020820.0%258340
Champions Cup Dec 2025 – Apr 2026530260.0%180163
Int. Friendly Games Nov 20251001not available1438

Last five matches

  1. Lost v Saracens 7–30 Premiership ·
  2. Won v Northampton Saints 41–26 Premiership ·
  3. Won v Sale Sharks 34–24 Premiership ·
  4. Lost v Exeter Chiefs 21–45 Premiership Rugby Cup ·
  5. Won v Gloucester Rugby 43–40 Premiership Rugby Cup ·

Every match in our database

37 matches
Premiership 21P · 13W · 0D · 8L
  1. Lost v Saracens 7–30
  2. Won v Northampton Saints 41–26
  3. Won v Sale Sharks 34–24
  4. Lost v Sale Sharks 17–38
  5. Won v Bath Rugby 21–19
  6. Lost v Northampton Saints 33–94
  7. Lost v Saracens 26–41
  8. Won v NewCastle RedBulls 52–19
  9. Won v Gloucester Rugby 53–12
  10. Lost v Harlequins 14–18
  11. Lost v Leicester Tigers 19–33
  12. Won v Exeter Chiefs 8–3
  13. Won v Sale Sharks 19–17
  14. Won v NewCastle RedBulls 36–27
  15. Won v Harlequins 40–14
  16. Won v Northampton Saints 46–12
  17. Lost v Bath Rugby 15–40
  18. Won v Gloucester Rugby 49–34
  19. Won v Exeter Chiefs 18–14
  20. Lost v Saracens 17–50
  21. Won v Leicester Tigers 42–24
Premiership Rugby Cup 10P · 2W · 0D · 8L
  1. Lost v Exeter Chiefs 21–45
  2. Won v Gloucester Rugby 43–40
  3. Lost v Sale Sharks 36–41
  4. Lost v Bath Rugby 24–33
  5. Lost v Exeter Chiefs 35–46
  6. Lost v Gloucester Rugby 8–16
  7. Lost v Exeter Chiefs 17–22
  8. Lost v Bath Rugby 19–49
  9. Won v Gloucester Rugby 40–24
  10. Lost v Sale Sharks 15–24
Champions Cup 5P · 3W · 0D · 2L
  1. Lost v Toulouse 26–59
  2. Lost v Bordeaux Bègles 15–27
  3. Won v Bulls 61–49
  4. Won v Pau 61–12
  5. Won v Scarlets 17–16
Int. Friendly Games 1P · 0W · 0D · 1L
  1. Lost v Argentina 14–38

Career

  • Bristol Bears Director of Rugby 2017– 37 matches in our data
  • Connacht Head Coach 2013–17

Honours

  • European Rugby Challenge Cup (Bristol Bears) 2020
  • Pro12 (Connacht) 2016
  • RFU Championship title and promotion (Bristol) 2018
  • Air New Zealand Cup (Auckland) 2007
  • NPC (Auckland) 2005

About Pat Lam

Pat Lam is the director of rugby at Bristol Bears, the former Samoa captain who won Connacht’s only major title and built the most watchable attack in England.

Pat Lam is Director of Rugby at Bristol Bears, at the club since June 2017 and elevated from head coach to Director of Rugby in May 2019.

Born in Auckland in September 1968, he was a number 8 for Auckland, North Harbour, the Crusaders, Newcastle Falcons and Northampton Saints. He won 25 Test caps for Samoa and captained them at the 1991 and 1995 World Cups.

Connacht

After coaching Scotland as an assistant at the 2003 World Cup, he led Auckland to two NPC titles and coached the Blues. His defining work came at Connacht from 2013 to 2017, where he delivered the province’s only major trophy — the 2016 Pro12 — and was named Coach of the Season.

Bristol

He won immediate promotion from the Championship in 2018 and the European Challenge Cup in 2020. Bristol under Lam play the highest-scoring rugby in England: attack-first, offload-heavy and relentlessly wide. The criticism is the flip side — defensive fragility and inconsistency in knockout matches — and after a heavy 2025–26 season his position has been publicly questioned, though the club confirmed him as Director of Rugby when naming the 2026–27 squad in August.

Style

An evangelical culture-builder as much as a coach, working to a stated mission of inspiring the community through rugby success.

As a player Number 8. Auckland, North Harbour, the Crusaders, Newcastle Falcons and Northampton Saints. 25 Test caps for Samoa, whom he captained at the 1991 and 1995 World Cups.

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Frequently asked questions

Who is the director of rugby of Bristol Bears?

Pat Lam is the director of rugby of Bristol Bears.

When did Pat Lam take charge?

Pat Lam took over at Bristol Bears in May 2019, around 7 years ago.

What is Pat Lam's record?

From 37 matches in our database: 18 wins, 0 draws and 19 defeats — a 48.6% win rate.

What nationality is Pat Lam?

Pat Lam is Samoan.

How old is Pat Lam?

Pat Lam is 58 years old.

What has Pat Lam won?

Honours include: European Rugby Challenge Cup (Bristol Bears) (2020), Pro12 (Connacht) (2016), RFU Championship title and promotion (Bristol) (2018), Air New Zealand Cup (Auckland) (2007), NPC (Auckland) (2005).