Bears starlet Lloyd set to wear No.12 next season
PAT Lam sees Ioan Lloyd’s future at Bristol in the centre and has challenged the Wales international to turn moments of world class into high level consistency.
Lloyd, 21, who won his two caps in 2020, has been left out of the Wales squad for the summer tour to South Africa after an injury-plagued campaign.
He has made 14 starts for the Bears in all competitions at full-back, wing, outside-half and, against the Scarlets in the Champions Cup, inside-centre where director of rugby Lam sees Lloyd’s future.
“It is Ioan’s fourth season with us after he joined straight from school,” said Lam. “His talent means he can play in various positions and he is still learning the game. We sat down with him and asked what his favourite position was.
“He said 12, but after he did well there against the Scarlets, he broke his jaw and was out for a while. I believe that a player can handle various positions and playing all across the backline, as well as scrumhalf, has given him a greater appreciation of what is required.
“We are keen to give him the opportunity at 12 and, like outside-half, you have to be able to call the shots from there. He is young but he has played 60 times for us and has experience.
“He has shown glimpses of being world-class in every match for us but has also shown inconsistency around the fundamental parts of the game. There is a lot of growth in him and he can become a big influence on the team, but to get to the next level means cutting out mistakes.”
The worry for Lam over Lloyd, and outside-half Callum Sheedy, who was also left out of the squad for South Africa, is that they will have to return to Wales to play to satisfy their international ambitions.
“Ioan is here for at least two more years and they are not in the Wales squad so it is a non-issue,” said Lam. “They enjoy it here and they want to stay and we will just crack on until it becomes an issue. Everything can change, you never know what is around the corner.”
Another of Bristol’s international players, England prop Kyle Sinckler, is unsure of his summer plans after being one of a number of experienced players to be left out of the England squad which has a three-day training camp in Richmond this week.
Sinckler has missed the Bears’ last three matches because of a persistent back spasm and he was rested for a couple of weeks after the end of the Six Nations.
“Whatever happens in the summer. Kyle will need to have a break,” said Lam. “Every player will get one, whether that is when the tour is on or after it.
“Kyle is working with the medical and strength and conditioning teams to get rid of the niggles and get back to form. Every player wants to make it to the World Cup and they will all have different plans on how to get there, but if you look at the team which goes on tour before the World Cup it is never the one that plays in the tournament.”