Bristol 'stronger' as Premiership returns says Lam

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Bristol has emerged from the Premiership hiatus "stronger," according to rugby director Pat Lam, with several players close to recovering from injuries.

The Bears are set to resume league play against Exeter at Ashton Gate on Saturday (17:30 GMT), positioned second on the table, trailing Bath by six points and leading Gloucestershire by five.

Centre James Williams makes his return from a broken hand to feature against the Chiefs, while England scrum-half Harry Randall rejoins the starting lineup post-Six Nations, and Ellis Genge will be on the bench.

"The past three weeks have allowed us to train as we aspire to, without the pressure of games, and numerous players returning from injuries is a positive sign, making the squad more robust."

Fly-half AJ MacGinty is close to making a comeback from a knee injury that's kept him out since late December. Wing Gabriel Ibitoye, who faced a setback in his leg injury recovery, and versatile forward Joe Batley, who had a leg fracture in November, are also nearing their return.

"If you consider the starters or those keen to be starters, looking at our situation following that Leicester match, having AJ, Bats, and Gabs back is a big boost; we should be in good shape," Lam remarked. He also commented on being "flattered" by links to the vacant head coach position for Wales, but emphasized that his primary aim is to secure a first Premiership title with the Bears.

After a January marred by injuries prior to the eight-week break, the Bears have extended fly-half Harry Byrne's contract through to the season's end.

They will face the Chiefs and then head to Gloucester for an away match on March 29. While their closest competitors will return to European competition in April, Bristol will have another three-week interval dedicated exclusively to league play after their elimination from the Champions Cup.

"We need to ensure that as we approach the final stretch, we can reach a semi-final or final without being hampered by injuries. It's essential that we have adequate cover across all positions," Lam noted.

"We're positioned at the forefront alongside Bath, and it's in our hands if we want to reach the finals."

Bristol's encounter with Exeter will be the first Premiership match where referee decisions are announced over the stadium's public address system.

They have encountered defeats in three of their last four league meetings against Exeter at Ashton Gate. Despite Exeter currently sitting ninth in the standings, Lam expressed his desire to rewrite that narrative.

"When reflecting on the matches in which we fell short, it's clear that we failed to enforce our style of play. We aim to start strong and view this as an excellent opportunity for us," Lam stated.