It isn’t the first time that Pat Lam has come up against an Irish side since he departed these shores, but Sunday’s Champions Cup clash between Bristol and Leinster reunites Irish rugby with one of its more impactful figures.
In 2016, Lam coached Connacht to a shock Pro 12 title, defeating provincial rivals Leinster in the final at Murrayfield. The former Samoa international left a year later, accepting an offer to move to Bristol in order to secure his family’s financial future.
It was well documented at the time how the death of Lam’s “good friend” Anthony Foley, impacted his decision. He wondered what would happen to his wife in children if similar misfortune should befall him.
Speaking to The Counter Ruck podcast in the build-up to Bristol’s clash with Leinster, Lam explained how he and ‘Axel’ came to be so close. “We played against each other,” explains Lam, who was part of the Northampton side which beat Foley’s Munster in the 2000 Heineken Cup final.
Leinster’s Champions Cup opener brings a meeting with a familiar face
“I think the good thing, in those days was that you always had a beer afterwards,” said Lam. “So that was when I first caught up with him. Then when we coached against each other at Munster. At the end of year Pro 12 awards at the time, all the coaches, they put them on the same table. He [Foley] would always make sure I sat next to him.
“He would always make sure I had a Guinness in my hand and he would always make sure that the Guinness was full, and we had some great chat and great banter. We both played the same position, just our craic was great.
“So I always knew when the awards were coming up, right, better get ready for a few Guinnesses and some good chat.”
During his appearance on The Counter Ruck, Lam also looked back on that Pro 12 title win with Connacht, a day he labels as the “highlight” of his coaching career.
“We had the smallest budget,” says Lam. “They talk about teams here and the Premiership and salary caps, mate, and when I remember coming here [Bristol], we were in a terrible place, but still better than what we had at Connacht.
“So it was wonderful, because, when you had a look how we did it, it had to be a true effort by everybody, the staff, players, the whole community.”
Lam also discussed his relationship with Bundee Aki. During his time at Connacht, Lam was the one who signed Aki from New Zealand. He expresses his pride at what the Ireland centre has gone on to achieve.
“I remember when I signed this [Bristol] deal, he [Aki] was gutted,” recalls Lam. “He turned around to me and said, ‘Look, you know I came here for you!’ I said, ‘No, I brought you here for you. This is only the first step, you know you need to be on the world stage.’
“The boys used to joke and call him my son. I said, ‘Well, now it’s Uncle Joe.’ Joe [Schmidt, Ireland coach at the time] was gonna pick him when he comes through.
“I’m really proud to look at Bundee now and go, ‘Wow’, and none of that surprises me. Where he is at now, an Irish citizen, which is brilliant, but he put so much in and Ireland has given him so much.”
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