Rugby Knee surgery set to sideline Radradra for four months
BRISTOL Bears director of rugby Pat Lam took the shine off his side’s 25-20 derby win over Bath Rugby on Friday night with the news his marquee, superstar centre Semi Radradra will be sidelined until the end of January with a knee injury.
Bristol won without Radradra at Ashton Gate with tries from Steven Luatau, Jake Kerr and a penalty try, along with eight points from the boot of Callum Sheedy, but make no doubts about it, their season just got tougher.
Speaking after the final whistle, Lam divulged: “Semi is going to have to have surgery on his knee. We are looking at him having surgery on Monday, and he will end up with probably 16 weeks (out).
“It was (injured) in the semi-final in the Olympics.”
Radradra was allowed to play for Fiji at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, helping them to win back-to-back gold in the rugby sevens.
Looking on the bright side Lam said: “At the end of the day, there is a lot of rugby to be played when he gets back.
“We will certainly be on the lookout for a replacement to come in for that period of time when he is out.
“It is around his cartilage and ligament. The good news is that the surgery will fix it 100 per cent.”
Bath pushed Bristol close in round three of the Gallagher Premiership season with a brace of tries from wing Will Muir and one by Semesa Rokoduguni, along with five points from the boot of young fly-half Orlando Bailey.
But returning British & Irish Lion
prop Kyle Sinckler helped the Bears to their fifth straight victory.
Sinckler became the first of England’s British & Irish Lions in South Africa this summer to make a Premiership return, while his fellow
tourist, Bath back Anthony Watson, went on as a second-half substitute. A rest and pre-season period until the middle of October was mandated for England’s elite player squad members, but there was provision for clubs to apply for players to return earlier on a case-by-case basis. That meant Premiership clubs applying to a professional game board sub-committee - the player performance management group - that was established three years ago and has to agree any variation to individual player release.
Sinckler was named man of the match and he told BT Sport: “I can’t just sit in meetings and train and not contribute. I wanted to put my body on the line.
“I was a bit rusty out there but I just wanted to put everything out there because I love the game and I love playing.
“I know there was a mandatory rest time, but I pride myself on being virtuous and I try to be so committed in everything I do. It showed how much it means to myself and my team-mates.”