Bristol Bears latest injury ahead of Harlequins: Callum Sheedy set for epic final chapter

Bristol Bears head into Saturday’s game at Harlequins in the hunt for a place in the Gallagher Premiership play-offs with very few injury concerns, but one major one.

Starting scrum-half AJ MacGinty looks set to miss the trip to The Stoop after suffering an HIA in Saturday’s 20-41 defeat to Saracens, meaning he is likely to be unavailable for selection for 12 days after the incident as a stand- off goes through the league’s Return to Play Protocols following a hit to the head.

READ MORE: Pat Lam backs Benhard Janse van Rensburg for more awards after center named Premiership player of the month

Speaking at Tuesday’s midweek press conference, Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said: “AJ is going through the HIA process at the moment and so we’ll hope and see how he goes through the protocols.”

Despite Lam putting on a brave face, the likely scenario is Wales international Callum Sheedy, who will join Cardiff Rugby next season after 10 years at the club, is likely to have one final chapter to write in his Bristol story as obvious candidate to intervene. and go head-to-head with Marcus Smith at The Stoop to try and book the Bears a spot in the semifinals.

Discussing Sheedy, who hasn’t even made Bristol’s squad in recent weeks, with the likes of James Williams capable of covering fly-half as well as center where he started, Lam said: Callum is available for selection, which is good.

“The beauty is we have good depth in some positions. AJ has been superb for us this season but to have Callum’s experience and to have him in the competition is great and he has played well for us at times this year as well.

“We are blessed to have two very good fly halves to choose from. I think probably the biggest similarity between the two is that they both have a great understanding of the game and they run our game well. They’re different as players in terms of their individual skills and what they can do, but certainly in terms of the generals of our game, they both have a great knowledge of our game and a great deal of experience.”

Bristol sit seventh in the table heading into the final weekend of the regular season but still have an outside chance of making the play-offs, however, they need results elsewhere to get going. The Bears must beat sixth-placed Harlequins to overtake them, then need second-placed Saracens – who are preparing for a home semi-final – to beat fourth-placed Sale Sharks at the StoneX Stadium in ideally without the north getting two loss bonuses. points, although a bonus point win for the Bears on the other side of London would make that irrelevant.

The other key contest comes as Welford Road, where eighth-placed Leicester Tigers host fifth-placed Exeter Chiefs. Bristol are banking on a home win to pave the way for them to progress to the semi-finals. The Tigers are effectively just playing for pride.

Third-placed Bath look safe provided they get at least a point at home to leaders Northampton Saints, who are expected to rest some stars who have already secured a home semi-final.

Lam said he would be called to Premiership events during the final game if he needed to pass on instructions to his team, for example if their qualification depended on securing an attacking bonus point. Saturday could be a sensational final day in the Premiership.