Bristol Bears boss Pat Lam faces a major selection headache ahead of this weekend’s trip down the M5, with 13 backs unavailable for the Premiership clash.
To make matters worse, England and British & Irish Lions prop Ellis Genge has also been ruled out after suffering a head knock in the win over Exeter Chiefs last weekend.
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“He isn’t in consideration yet. He is one of the 13,” Lam confirmed. “We’ve only got two more games in the Premiership, which is our priority at the moment, and then we have the November window.
“We are hoping in the next couple of weeks, maybe Bath, but certainly not this week. We have two options — sit here and cry, or get on with it. Only the players in the room know what we went through to get that win last week.”
Lam explained that Genge was initially withdrawn with a knock to the shin before being called for an HIA.
“Ellis took a knock to the shin, so I took him off. Then the independent doctor called out that he needed to undergo an HIA, which surprised him because he doesn’t wear a mouthguard.
“Basically, he failed the process, so he is pretty frustrated, which means that he is ruled out for this week,” said Lam.
Due to return-to-play protocols, Genge could also be a doubt for next week’s trip to Bath, having been stood down with immediate effect.
If all goes to plan, Genge is expected to be available for the Autumn Internationals. However, any further head knocks between now and then could lead to an extended stand-down period under concussion protocols.
The Bears’ backline injury list also includes Louis Rees-Zammit and fly-half Tom Jordan, who is serving a three-week ban following his red card against the Chiefs.
Five interesting facts about Ellis Genge:
🏉 Nicknamed “The Baby Rhino” – Genge earned the nickname for his powerful, aggressive ball-carrying style that often bulldozes defenders.
🦁 British & Irish Lion – He was selected for the 2021 Lions tour to South Africa, capping his rise as one of England’s premier looseheads.
👨🏫 Bristol-born and proud – Genge grew up in Bristol and started his career with the Bristol Bears Academy, before moving to Leicester Tigers, where he eventually became club captain and led them to a Premiership title.
💬 Outspoken advocate for player welfare – He’s known for speaking candidly about the realities of professional rugby, including mental health, pay structures, and player treatment.
⚡ Explosive on and off the field – Beyond rugby, Genge has worked on community projects in Bristol and launched a player agency called Rugby Division, aiming to help young players manage their careers better.
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Wales legend Adam Jones names the three ‘greatest scrummagers’ of all-time
Scrummaging is the foundation of rugby, and few understand it better than Wales legend Adam Jones, the former British & Irish Lions and Wales prop turned elite scrum coach.
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For Danny Care’s YouTube channel, Jones evaluated twelve of the world’s top international props based purely on their scrummaging ability, ignoring mobility, ball-carrying, and other aspects of play. Using a tier system from A (class standard) to D (less effective), Jones highlighted which props dominate the scrum and which struggled to hold their ground in set-pieces.
Below is Jones’ expert ranking of the world’s best scrummagers.
Adam Jones’ Tier List.
D-Tier: Solid but Not Elite Scrummagers
Jason Leonard (England)
England legend Jason Leonard earned 114 caps and won the 2003 Rugby World Cup. While celebrated for leadership and durability, Jones places him in D-tier strictly for scrummaging.
Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
With 129 caps for Wales and extensive British & Irish Lions experience, Jenkins was mobile and versatile, but Jones notes his scrummaging alone does not rank among the elite.
Cian Healy (Ireland)
Irish prop Cian Healy, with over 100 caps, is dynamic in open play. Jones ranks his scrummaging as solid but not at the top level.
C-Tier: Strong Scrummagers
Euan Murray (Ireland)
A specialist tighthead, Murray excelled in pure scrummaging. Jones says, “He was a good scrummage… out and out scrummager… like myself couldn’t do much else.”
Os du Randt (South Africa)
Two-time Rugby World Cup winner Os du Randt was legendary for raw strength and scrummaging technique.
Owen Franks (New Zealand)
Part of the All Blacks’ 2011 and 2015 World Cup-winning squads, Franks was known for durability and scrummaging consistency.