Bristol form down to Premiership break - Luatua
Back row Steven Luatua credits the six-week Premiership break during the Six Nations for turning Bristol into top-four contenders.
Bristol are the in-form team in the league having won their last six games, stretching back to the turn of the year, to propel themselves up to fourth with two games to go.
The 33-year-old flanker, who signed a new deal with the Bears this week said the period allowed the team to refocus on the basics in training.
"Previous weeks, when we're struggling we're watching the tape and it's not what we're training," he told BBC Radio Bristol.
"Our blessing in the skies [is] we had that time off, six weeks when the Six Nations was on and we really just put in a lot of groundwork and a lot of guys started to have belief.
"When we came out the other side of it, we were able to execute the plays we were planning to do from the get-go."
Luatua has been a consistent leader for Bristol during his seven years with the club, having joined while they were still a Championship side and been part of the team that finished top of the table in 2020-21.
The Bears have won nine out of 10 Premiership games the Samoan international has played in this campaign.
"This is exactly what as a club we've been striving for - to be in the top four and hopefully finish up in the top four," Luatua said.
"When it comes to play-offs, that's anyone's game."
Bristol face two pivotal matches, firstly against second-placed Saracens on Saturday at Ashton Gate, before travelling to Harlequins - currently level on points with the Bears in fifth - on the last day (Saturday, 18 May) of the regular season.
While Bristol's attacking flair has been on show in recent weeks on the field - they top the stats for most tries and points scored, and most metres gained - Luatua said against Saracens they will have to play "smarter".
"Now we're in this play-off hunt, I think the intensity is going to pick up," he said.
"A lot of kicks off nine, a lot of kicks off 10, and when we get the opportunity we've got to execute (and) expect to play from deep in our half if we have to."
