Bears have the strength to with the Prem, says Luatua

STEVEN Luatua believes Bristol can became the first West Country team to win the Premiership – if they start where they left off last season.

- PAUL REES

The Bears were pipped for a place in the play-offs on the final day of the regular season despite piling up 53 points against Harlequins at The Stoop with Sale winning at Saracens’ StoneX Stadium for the first time.

Bristol won seven of their last eight matches, picking up five bonus points and passing 50 points four times having lost five matches in a row from the end of October.

They started the campaign with a kicking game but ended it going back to the traditional way of the Bears, attacking from everywhere and running in tries with Newcastle, their opponents in the opening round at Kingston Park later this month, hit for 85 points at Ashton Gate.

“We were in a very good place at the end of last season,” said Luatua, the New Zealand and Samoa international who joined Bristol eight seasons ago and is in the final year of his contract.

“The challenge is to continue with that. If we do, we can make the top four and although we have lost some big name players (Kyle Sinckler and Virimi Vakatawa among them), new guys have come in and trained really well. You can see their development.”