Bevan's performance a bright spot for injury-troubled Bears

BRISTOL Bears lost two of their starting three back-row players to injuries inside the first 18 minutes of Friday night's Prem Rugby Cup 49-19 defeat to Bath Rugby, to pile further pressure on the depleted under-strain squad.

- John Evely

Flanker Kofi Cripps and Argentina international No 8 Ben Grondona both departed in the first quarter of the cup clash to disrupt Bristol's flow, having initially taken the lead through a maul try, finished off by hooker Tomas Gwilliam, who went on to score a brace in an 80-minute shift, with Gabriel Oghre warming the bench for the hosts with no other hookers fit and available, and Oghre looks likely to get an England A call-up this week ahead of the clash with an All Blacks XV at the Rec next Saturday.

Providing some insight on the latest injuries, Bristol head of academy John Barnes said: "Kofi's (Cripps) on crutches at the moment and Ben's a bit sore at the shoulder, so Kofi's probably worse than Ben at the moment. The medics will give us a roundup and feedback. But, yeah, it was disappointing to lose players early on. I think that was a bit of a disruption as well. It didn't help that we were on and off with a few boys, but that's the game."

The Bears also saw wing Josh Carrington depart for an HIA with blood flowing from his head in the latter stages of the contest having only just returned from a previous head knock. Meanwhile, emergency injury cover signing Toby Fricker was unavailable for the game, having been selected on the wing for the USA against Scotland at the weekend. The latest trio of injuries leaves Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam in a further selection predicament with an exhibition game against an Argentina XV next Friday, while every other club in the Prem have a rare weekend off.