Rugby International calls could thrust Eden into the spotlight
BRISTOL Bears could well be reliant on a little-used squad member in the 2020-21 season. England head coach Eddie Jones has called up a trio of Bristol players to his squad to prepare for Sunday’s Quilter Cup match against the Barbarians.
England regulars Kyle Sinckler and Ben Earl were always expected to link up with the national side this autumn but the impressive form of fly-back or fly-half Max Malins has not gone unnoticed by Jones and the on-loan Saracens back has also joined the senior squad for the first time.
He comes in as George Ford has withdrawn from the squad with an Achilles issue.
Meanwhile, Callum Sheedy and Ioan Lloyd have linked up with the Wales senior squad for the first time after it was finally confirmed on Wednesday the Bears’ season was over, with Wasps having been given the green light to play Exeter Chiefs in the Gallagher Premiership final tomorrow.
Bristol had been on standby to replace Wasps after there was a minor Covid-19 outbreak at the club but Tuesday’s testing confirmed there were no new cases at the Coventry-based side, allowing them to rightfully take their place in the final having beaten the Bears 47-24 in the play-offs.
While it seems unlikely given the competition they face, should Sheedy, Lloyd and Malins all remain with their respective national sides throughout the autumn then Bears’ director of rugby Pat Lam will have to prepare to start the new season against Wasps on November 22 without his first, second and third choice fly-half.
The same is definitely true of full-back Charles Piutau after news that his Achilles injury will sideline him until January.
That situation would leave Tiff Eden as Bristol’s sole senior fly-half option with integrated academy member Tom Wilstead to provide cover having been involved with England Under-18s this year.
Lam certainly has faith in 26-year-old Eden, handing him a contract extension in January 2020, having originally joined the club from Greene King IPA Championship side Nottingham in the summer of 2018.
Eden’s first season at the club was a write-off as he missed most of the campaign through injury after breaking his sternum, tearing his oblique and having a disc irritation in his back.
The following year the fly-half kicked 19 points without missing in a 44-27 victory over London Irish in the Premiership Cup in October, 2019, but made just two appearances for the club during the 201920 campaign, as well as spending time on loan with Championship Hartpury.
Eden is an able player but with Bristol having aspirations to better this season’s third-place finish in the Premiership table and be competing in the Heineken Champions Cup for the first time in 13-years, it would be a huge step up for the squad man to be running the attack.
Bristol will also be without star centre Semi Radradra for the start of the new campaign with the Fijian called-up to the national side.