Bears play the waiting game over selection
INJURED duo Harry Thacker and Alapati Leiua have not been ruled out of the derby with Bath Rugby tomorrow night, director of rugby Pat Lam said on Tuesday.
Explosive hooker Thacker limped off in just the seventh minute of Bristol’s 44-8 defeat away at Wasps in Round Two of the Gallagher Premiership with a hip pointer injury, while Samoan international inside centre Leiua departed two minutes before halftime with a shoulder problem.
Will Capon came off the bench for Thacker with Sam Bedlow replacing Leiua and should either man fail their fitness tests this week they will likey be promoted into the starting XV to face Bath at Ashton Gate.
Lam said: “From our group there is no one (who was involved against Wasps) definitely out at this stage but we will go through it and have a look.
“If you look at a lot of the teams at the moment, everyone is struggling with injuries due to the nature of the game, but it is just bangs and bruises. I expect it is going to be like this every week.
“A few coaches are talking about loaning players and stuff because this decision to go down to a smaller salary cap and small squads means quite a few teams are struggling.”
Bristol are set for a boost in the forwards ahead of Round Three of the 2021/22 Gallagher Premiership with lock Joe Joyce fully recovered having had surgery on his shoulder during the off-season.
Lam said: “Joe Joyce is back on the training field and available which is good.” As a true Bristolian through and through Joyce is a great man to bring into the squad for a derby clash as he will bring a level of passion and desire few in this Bears squad can match.
However, perhaps more importantly, Fijian superstar Semi Radradra looks poised to be involved in some way against Bath with Lam keen to get back to winning ways after two straight defeats to kick-off the new campaign.
Centre Radradra will have been back training with Bristol for 12 days come tomorrow night after making a late return to the UK from Fiji following his efforts helping the Pacific Island nation win gold at the rugby sevens at the Tokyo Olympic Games this summer.
Lam continues to be without some key men in his squad with hooker Bryan Byrne [knee], tighthead prop John Afoa [calf ] and wingers Siva Naulago [broken arm] and Luke Morahan [hamstring] sidelined.
However, Lam revealed British and Irish Lions star Kyle Sinckler could be back sooner than expected having officially requested to return to club action before the end of the 10-week rest period that was agreed between the RFU and Premiership Rugby.