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'It is what it is': Bristol confirm lengthy spell out for Luatua
Bristol have admitted that the pre-season injury suffered last month by former All Blacks back-rower Steven Luatua has turned out to be serious enough to sideline him until between mid-November and early December. The 31-year-old, who arrived at the Bears in 2017 after a 15-cap career for New Zealand, was set to play the August 19 friendly away to Brive only to pull up lame in the final training session before travelling.
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The setback left him wearing a protective moon boot and director of rugby Pat Lam said at the time, “Stevie had been flying. It was probably the best I had seen him in pre-season. It is very frustrating, he was going to go to Brive and then in the last session he strained his calf. At the moment he is probably not going to make the start of the season.”
With a definite prognosis now known, Luatua will miss way more than just the start of the season. “Stevie is going to be at least a twelve-weeker,” admitted Lam at his midweek media briefing ahead of this Saturday’s round two Gallagher Premiership game at Wasps.
“He is looking around mid-November, December. It’s okay. It is what it is. It is an opportunity for Stevie to get better and he still contributes off the field.
“It is pleasing that we have got Sam Jeffries who can play across the back row, Jake Heenan across the back row, having Sam Lewis on board is great, also Chris Vui who can jump into six as well and Dan Thomas is not too far off from his (ankle) niggles, and having Magnus Bradbury is great. Guys will step up.”
Another player who will be absent from this weekend’s trip to Wasps will be Ellis Genge, last Saturday’s man of the match in the dramatic win over Bath. The ‘rest’ agreement with England will see him sidelined until the round three home match the following week against London Irish. “We put out a comprehensive plan that Eddie (Jones) was very pleased with, his team were pleased with, the RFU, the PRL and the RPA,” explained Lam, who has a plan plotted for Genge through to 2023.
“If we didn’t put a plan out I 100 per cent would have said, ‘No, he is no playing (against Bath), you have to wait’. Having a good staff I always say is important because these specialists all work together to get the right plan and most importantly the player is front and centre to ensure he is able to play at his best and enjoy what he does.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
This team does not beat the ABs sadly
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to comments