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Pat Lam provides Ellis Genge injury update amid fears of missing Six Nations start

England's Ellis Genge (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Bristol Bears boss Pat Lam has insisted Ellis Genge, one of the strongest candidates to replace Owen Farrell as England captain, is on track to overcome his hamstring injury and be ready for the opening Guinness Six Nations clash with Italy in Rome on February 3.

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Genge injured his hamstring training with Bristol at the start of December and there were reports that his recovery timeline has changed, making it possible he could miss the Italy match, forcing England head coach Steve Borthwick to opt for another of his captaincy options.

However, Lam is adamant nothing has changed in the expected return for Genge, whose ball carrying has been sorely missed by Bristol who travel to Sale on Friday night. Lam said: “The plan is for him to be back for the Italy game.

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“Ellis is doing really well and looks bigger to me with that work in the gym. When people have injuries you have a window to get better physically and also mentally and he is on track and hopefully he will make it in time for around the Six Nations. The main thing is that players get back on time if not before. Most of the time guys come back earlier but every injury is different.

“When he is ready then he is ready. If he came back and it is a Premiership game then we have to make that call in conjunction with the medical team. If it is a Six Nations game that is over to Steve. It is up to the coach to make the final call.

“Ellis has been talked about [as captain] because he is a leader and wears his heart on his sleeve and gives everything. I have no doubt he is one of the [England] contenders and that is Steve [Borthwick’s] role and we all know the type of leader he is.”

Bristol could have AJ McGinty, the USA Eagles outside half, who suffered a serious hamstring injury in the first round of Premiership matches, to face his former Sale teammates. “AJ is back in the mix but Harry Thacker is still going through HIA process,” he added. “AJ played really well last year and it’s good to have him available and Sale know him well.”

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Nick 356 days ago

Genge needs to concentrate on his scrummaging, he has regressed alarmingly since his return to Bristol, ditto Sinkler. I’d pick Obano at LH in front of him currently, and certainly Rapava Ruskin if fit, along with Marker.

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SK 26 minutes ago
What is the future of rugby in 2025?

Set pieces are important and the way teams use them is a great indication of how they play the game. No team is showcasing their revolution more than the Springboks. This year they have mauled less and primarily in the attacking third. Otherwise they have tended to set like they are going to maul and then play around the corner or shove the ball out the back. They arent also hitting the crash ball carrier constantly but instead they are choosing to use their width or a big carrying forward in wider areas. While their maul is varied the scrum is still a blunt instrument winning penalties before the backs have a go. Some teams have chosen to blunt their set piece game for more control. The All Blacks are kicking more penalties and are using their powerful scrum as an attacking tool choosing that set piece as an attacking weapon. Their willingness to maul more and in different positions is also becoming more prominent. The French continue to play conservative rugby off the set piece using their big bruisers frequently. The set piece is used differently by different teams. Different teams play different ways and can be successful regardless. They can win games with little territory and possession or smash teams with plenty of both. The game of rugby is for all types and sizes and thats true in the modern era. I hope that administrators keep it that way and dont go further towards a Rugby League style situation. Some administrators are of the opinion that rugby is too slow and needs to be sped up. Why not rather empower teams to choose how they want to play and create a framework that favours neither size nor agility. That favours neither slow tempo play or rock n roll rugby. Create a game that favour both and challenge teams to execute their plans. If World Rugby can create a game like that then it will be the ultimate winner.

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JW 5 hours ago
'Let's not sugarcoat it': Former All Black's urgent call to protect eligibility rules

Yep, no one knows what will happen. Thing is I think (this is me arguing a point here not a random debate with this one) they're better off trialing it now in a controlled environment than waiting to open it up in a knee jerk style reaction to a crumbling organtization and team. They can always stop it again.


The principle idea is that why would players leave just because the door is ajar?


BBBR decides to go but is not good enough to retain the jersey after doing it. NZ no longer need to do what I suggest by paying him to get back upto speed. That is solely a concept of a body that needs to do what I call pick and stick wth players. NZR can't hold onto everyone so they have to choose their BBBRs and if that player comes back from a sabbatical under par it's a priority to get him upto speed as fast as possible because half of his competition has been let go overseas because they can't hold onto them all. Changing eligibility removes that dilemma, if a BBBR isn't playing well you can be assured that someone else is (well the idea is that you can be more assured than if you only selected from domestic players).


So if someone decides they want to go overseas, they better do it with an org than is going to help improve them, otherwise theyre still basically as ineligible as if they would have been scorning a NZ Super side that would have given them the best chance to be an All Black.

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