Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam confirmed he is scanning the market to do what most people think is impossible and bring in a replacement for injured Semi Radradra.
Bristol confirmed on Friday night their star centre will be sidelined for around 16 weeks after undergoing surgery on the cartilage in his knee following an injury he sustained while playing for Fiji at the Olympic games in the summer.
Discussing Radradra’s loss in more detail, Lam said: “It is always disappointing to lose a player but that is what you expect in this sport and that is what you plan for.
“We lost him for good [significant] periods of time last season as well and other guys stepped up and did the role.
“I think the key is he will be back for some pretty important games at the back end of this season which will be good.
“The other thing is with his professionalism hopefully he will be back earlier than what is predicted.”
Radradra’s projected recovery would see him return for the Bears in around Round 15 of the Premiership in the first game in February 2022.
Lam is correct that last season’s table-toppers spent much of last season without Radradra, who played 10 of the club’s 23 Premiership games in 2020/21.
When Radradra was absent on international duty or nursing a knee injury last season, Piers O’Conor wore the 13 jersey 11 times with Henry Purdy and Alapati Leiua each starting at outside centre once.
O’Conor’s standout season saw him nominated on the shortlist for Premiership player of the season however Bristol have a win rate of 78 per cent (14/18) in the league when Semi Radradra features, compared to 53 per cent (9/17) when he doesn't play since his debut in August, 2020.
If the stats are to be believed Radradra makes Bristol 22 per cent better.
Lam said: “We saw at times last year Piers O’Conor stepped up into that role and did a great job.
“In terms of our plans [and tactics], nothing changes. Whoever steps in and puts the jersey on it is about world-class effort rather than world-class players. That is what we built this team on when we first started.
“Everyone is replaceable, I think that is the important thing in a team sport.
“If you try and build something relying on individuals and players then it is not going to last, because everyone is going to either leave or get injured at some stage.
“So we don’t build our game around world-class players, we build it around world-class effort.
He continued: “Don’t get me wrong within that structure it allows players to really thrive and do their thing, and the more quality the player has the better opportunities he can make, but we are not reliant on that.”
While the Bears are not reliant on Radradra according to Lam, they are yet to score a backs try this season after three rounds of league action, albeit also missing key strike options Luke Morahan [hamstring] and Siva Naulago [broken arm] on the wings.
Steven Luatua's try against Bath on Friday was an open field score, but of course still finished by a forward.
Discussing the club’s recruitment plans to bring in a short-term replacement for Radradra, Lam explained it is a difficult landscape to add top players, but confirmed he and the recruitment team intend to add to the Bears’ squad.
He said: “We are looking at it at the moment.
“At this time of year most guys are in contract but we are certainly looking for a replacement while Semi is out.”
Lam’s recruitment search will likely be focused on the other side of the world with Japan’s newly renamed Japan Rugby League One - which replaces the Top League - not kicking off until January 7, while the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season is due to get underway on the weekend of February 18.
However, Lam will likely not want to bring in any players heading to the Northern hemisphere for the Autumn Internationals which get underway on October 30 when Wales host New Zealand, as that would rule potential signings out of club duty until December.
As per the 2021/22 season Premiership salary cap rules, due to the length of Radradra’s injury (over 12 weeks) Bristol Bears are entitled to an Injured Player Credit which allows them, should they wish, to spend an additional £400,000 on top of the £5m base cap on bringing in a replacement player for their marquee signing.
However, that sum is the total amount permitted for long-term injury replacements for the entire squad during the current campaign meaning Lam will likely not want to spend the whole amount in case another key player goes does.
The Bears boss has previously stated some room has been left within the club's salary cap to allow smaller additional wages to be added to allow him to bring in short-term or loan signings should injuries strike.
