Bristol Bears are set to be without skipper Steven Luatua for the trip to Bordeaux-Begles on Sunday after the former All Black suffered a knee injury in the victory over Harlequins.
Bears director of rugby Pat Lam confirmed captain Luatua is ‘doubtful’ for the huge Heineken Champions Cup last 16 knockout game at weekend and while admitting it was a blow to lose such a significant leader he said he is confident his side can deal with his absence.
Lam said: “He has had a few tests on his knee and thankfully structurally things aren’t damaged but there is a lot of swelling on it so he is looking doubtful for this week.
“But as I have always said the next guy steps up.
“When we won the Challenge Cup final [against Toulon in 2020] we won it without Steven, his wife was having a baby.
“We have won games before without him and of course it would be great to have him available like all the players but it is just an opportunity for someone else to step up and get the job done.”
The 15-cap All Black will leave a sizable hole in the Bears squad at six should he miss out this weekend but Lam has two obvious options.
He could play Samoan international captain Chris Vui at blindside to match the physicality of the French side while allowing the likes of in-form Dave Attwood and Joe Joyce to pack down at lock, or Lam, who of course was a backrow himself in his playing days, could opt to play two opensides in England’s Ben Earl and Welshman Dan Thomas, the latter of which was named man of the match last weekend.
Alternatively New Zealander Jake Heenen could come into the side providing he has overcome his calf niggle or 21-year-old Fitz Harding could be thrust into the biggest game of his professional life having performed impressively in his last two outings for the Bears.
However perhaps the bigger question Lam will have to answer is who leads the side, with Callum Sheedy, Siale Piutau - if he is involved having missed several weeks - or John Afoa all senior players in the Bears leadership group, with Bristol regularly playing with two co-captains in recent years.
