Bristol expecting Luatua and Jeffries to return this season
STEVEN Luatua and Sam Jeffries will both play again this season, assistant coach Conor McPhillips has confirmed.
Both flankers left the pitch with injuries in the first half of Bristol Bears’ 38-29 home defeat to Harlequins on Sunday, with former All Black Luatua suffering a dislocated wrist and Jeffries, pictured, a blow to the knee.
McPhillips said: “With both Stevie and Sam Jeffries, they came off early after scoring tries on Sunday, but both will be back before the end of the season. At the moment it is just about working through with the medics to get a timeline.
“Initially, we were pretty worried, but I think now there is some good news within the bad news and they will play again before the end of the season.”
Jeffries, pictured, missed a couple of years of playing due to knee problems, stepping into a back-office role at the club before surprisingly being named as part of the playing squad again last summer, but McPhillips was quick to reassure that this impact injury is unrelated to his previous issues.
He said: “It was an impact injury, as he was scoring a guy just fell on his leg and it went a way it didn’t want to go. Sam has actually been back up and running this week so it is not as bad as first feared. I just can’t give you a timeframe on his return right now.”
After losing two back-rowers to injuries, the Bristol Post understands the Bears will recall Nathan Hughes from his loan to
Bath, with the former England international No 8 likely to return at the start of April.
Bath are understood to have been looking to extend Hughes’ loan until the end of the season but he is now needed back at Ashton Gate.
Hughes will not be involved against his parent club tonight in the Premiership Rugby Cup when Bath take on Bristol at Ashton Gate (7.45pm).
John Hawkins will captain the Bears for the first time. Pat Lam includes 13 current or former academy players in his 23-man squad, with 18-year-old Matthew Jones set for his first senior start on the wing.
Jordan Venter and Mackenzie Graham will make their Bath debuts. Centre Venter, who joined from Edinburgh rugby in December, earned minutes in the Championship with Ampthill last weekend and lines up outside Max Ojomoh. Back-rower Graham is a Beechen Cliff School graduate who has been in the pathway programme since the age of 13.
Bristol: Rich Lane; Niyi Adeolokun, Jack Bates, Piers O’Conor, Matthew Jones; Tiff Eden, Theo Strang; Ashley Challenger, Bryan Byrne, Jake Armstrong, Dave Attwood, Ed Holmes, John Hawkins, Dan Thomas, Mitch Eadie.
Replacements: Will Capon, Tom Sims, George Kloska, James Dun, Macennzie Duncan, Pete Carter, Jac Lloyd, Harry Rowson.
Bath: Darren Atkins; Tom Prydie, Jordan Venter, Max Ojomoh, Gabriel Hamer-Webb; Orlando Bailey, Joe Simpson; Lewis Boyce, Tom Doughty, Ma’afu Fia, Will Spencer, Josh Dingley, Mackenzie Graham, Richard de Carpentier, Nahum Merigan Replacements: Jacques du Toit, Arthur Cordwell, Kieran Verden, Valery Morozov, Harry Casson, Ollie Fox, George Worboys, Will Butt.