Naulago and Randall Back from Injury for Bristol Bears
Bristol scrum-half Harry Randall and winger Siva Naulago are available after returning from long-term injuries.
England international Randall, 25, has not played since the start of October after suffering a hamstring injury that required surgery.
Naulago, 31, has not featured at all this season after recovering
from knee surgery and then a hamstring injury.
Both players are available for the Bears’ Challenge Cup match away to Zebre on Saturday.
“Siva Naulago is back finally, so he’ll be available for selection this week,” Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam told BBC Radio
Bristol.
“Harry Randall’s back in there as well.”
Bristol, who went on to win the Challenge Cup the last time they competed in 2019-20, have won their first two matches this season and are third in Pool A.
They secured a bonus-point win over Zebre at Ashton Gate before Christmas and next face Perpignan at home in their final group match on January 20.
“We’ve got the two wins, we’ve been to Zebre twice as Bristol
Bears over the last few years in Europe, lost won and drew one so they’re a completely different team over there,” Lam added. “You look at them at home, the difference in the way they play, they’re leading most teams and we understand the difficulty that we face.”
Bristol are bottom of the Premiership table, having only won three of their 11 matches this season.
Lam expects to have a number of players back from injury by the end of the month, including full-back Rich Lane, scrum-half Will Porter, centre Sam Bedlow, prop Jay Tyack and back Noah Heward, while back rower Sam Jeffries is aiming for a return in February.
However, back rower Steven Luatua will not be travelling to France this weekend after picking up an injury in the Premiership defeat by London Irish. “Stevie Luatua has taken a knock to his ribs so he won’t be available this week, but we were playing on a little bit of rotation this week anyway but he should be back in a week,” Lam added. “It’s sort of been guys coming back, guys going out and they’re all drifting, but it’s hopefully looking better and hopefully we won’t lose anymore.”