Pat Lam's contract was due to expire in 2023; the 52-year-old joined Bristol in 2017 and guided them to promotion into the Premiership in his first season; the Bears won the European Challenge Cup in 2020 and finished top of the Premiership during the 2020/21 regular season under Lam
Friday 17 September 2021 10:49, UK
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam has signed a new seven-year contract that will keep him at Ashton Gate until 2028.
The Bears' most successful coach of the professional era presided over their 2020 European Challenge Cup triumph and steered them to a first-place finish at the end of the 2020/21 Gallagher Premiership regular season.
Lam's previous contract was due to expire in 2023 but Bristol have moved to secure the 52-year-old former All Black on a long-term basis.
Lam said: "It's an absolute honour to continue as director of rugby at Bristol Bears. To have the opportunity to work with a great group of people and to represent our community with pride and love is very special.
"While we have come a long way in the last four years, I am really excited by what is still to come as we challenge all of us individually and collectively to raise the bar every day.
"I genuinely believe that now we have all our men, women and academy aligned as one club, we are poised to bring a lot of inspiration and success on and off the field for many years ahead and I feel very humbled to be a part of it."
Bristol owner Steve Lansdown added: "What Pat and his team have achieved in a short space of time at Bristol Bears is excellent, but it's not just the way that the team have performed on the field - it's the culture and standards he has set to continually drive the organisation forward.
"Bristol Bears are on an exciting journey and we are delighted to have Pat at the forefront of that. From the academy to our women's team, Pat lives and breathes our mission every day. He has given the city a rugby club we can be proud of."
