Viliame Mata’s Bristol side defeated by the Chiefs 24-14 in front of their vocal home turf

Flying Fijian number 8 Viliame Mata’s Bristol Bear rugby team lost 24-14 to a more determined Exeter Chiefs side in the Gallagher Premiership rugby cup competition in front of their vocal home ground.

Bristol Bear Coach Pat Lam says he is certainly upset things did not go their way but he thanked the crowd for attending in huge numbers for the final home game of 2023.

Lam says the message at half time was not to allow the Chiefs players to play in their 22” but they failed to execute this and were punished.

He says the Chiefs are a dangerous team and they capitalised on the basic errors they committed which cost them the game.