Jones was keen on Naulago, says Lam

PAT Lam has revealed that ‘The Tank on the Flank’ Siva Naulago was on the verge of an England call-up before getting injured.

Bristol Bears director of rugby Lam told Bristol Live – the sister website of the Daily Press – that England boss Eddie Jones is a big fan of the serving British Army soldier, who switched from rugby league to join the Bears in 2020.

Injuries and disciplinary issues have hampered his progress after bursting onto the union scene, having scored a remarkable ten tries in 13 Premiership games.

Naulago’s 2021/22 season went from one problem to another, breaking his arm the weekend before the Premiership kicked off, and receiving back-to-back red cards for high tackles following his return to action, while the plug was pulled on his season in April due to a knee injury.

Lam revealed: “Eddie was keen on Siva coming into the England camp, but he got injured for us and missed out. This was when Eddie was looking at the training camps earlier in the year. He was looking at Siva, but he got injured. It has happened to many players.”

Naulago is spending part of the close season back in Fiji, the country of his birth.

Harry Randall is the only Bristol player to make the England squad for this summer’s Australia tour, with tighthead prop Kyle Sinckler recovering from a back problem.

Flanker Sam Jeffries received a surprise call-up to train with the squad earlier this month, but did not make the squad to face the Barbarians, or for the trip Down Under, with Test matches on each of the next three Saturdays.