Bristol must win against Gloucester to keep their top four hopes alive in the Premiership, according to director of rugby Pat Lam. The team is currently fifth, seven points behind Exeter with six games remaining.
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Bristol have lost their past two Prem games and are seven points off the top four [Shutterstock]
Bristol "have to win" against Gloucester on Friday if they have any hope of finishing in the Prem top four, says director of rugby Pat Lam.
The Bears are fifth in the table and have fallen off the pace after losing their past two league matches, and are now seven points behind Exeter in fourth with six games to go.
"We have to win if we have any hope of getting to that top four," Lam told BBC Radio Bristol.
"There's already a seven-point gap and everyone plays everyone but you can't afford to drop any more games."
After going into the eight-week Prem break at the end of January as the in-form team with five straight wins, Bristol have lost all three games since in the Prem and Champions Cup.
A 33-19 defeat at Leicester was followed by a humbling 18-14 loss to Harlequins in their 'Big Day Out' showpiece match in Cardiff's Principality Stadium, before a thrashing away to Toulouse to exit the European cup.
Lam said the losses to Leicester and Harlequins were games they "could have" and "should have" won.
"We've only got ourselves to blame for that," Lam said.
"The season is like life - you get lots of ups and downs - it's how you adapt and grow from that.
"We know certainly the game against Gloucester on Friday night is a very important game for us."
Northampton (52 points), Bath (51 points), Leicester (46 points) and the Chiefs (45 points) make up the top four in the table, with Bristol realistically the only team also in the running in fifth (38 points), with Saracens next but trailing another five points behind.
Bristol needs to win to maintain any hope of finishing in the Premiership top four.
Bristol is currently seven points behind Exeter, who are in fourth place.
Bristol is currently in fifth place in the Premiership table.
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Lam said the pressure was on his side more than most but that their fate was still in their own hands.
"All we can control is our game," he said.
"The table takes care of itself but it's the process of winning that we've focussed on and I certainly won't be worried about other teams, it's all about us - just make sure we take care of business.
"If we do that it's in our control, we've got six games we have to win and the first one being Gloucester on Friday night."
Lock Joe Batley returns to the team to start having recovered earlier than expected from a dislocated thumb, while Benhard Janse van Rensburg also starts after a scan ruled out a suspected cheek fracture that forced him off at Toulouse.
"If we get the win on the weekend in the context of where we've been in the last three or four weeks I'll be a very happy man," Lam added.