Bristol Bears face months of being without their top three scrum-halves Pat Lam has confirmed, following injuries to Andy Uren and Tom Whiteley.
With first-choice nine Harry Randall away with England during the Six Nations until March 26, when Bristol face Saracens at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Round 21 of the Gallagher Premiership, Uren and Whiteley were expected to shoulder the load.
But Uren suffered a hamstring injury in the 37-21 victory over Newcastle Falcons on February 5 and after Whiteley went down with a serious hamstring injury in Bristol’s 49-32 home defeat to London Irish on Friday night, Lam was quick to act, bringing in Gloucester’s Toby Venner - who was on loan at Championship side Hartpury - and Bath Rugby’s Max Green.
Both men join Theo Strang, who made a try-scoring Premiership debut off the bench last weekend, in competing for a place in the 23-man squad to face Worcester Warriors at Sixways on Friday night in Round 17 of the league.
Discussing the Bears’ situation at scrum-half, Lam said: “I am very happy with the players we have signed.
“When you lose your top three in any position it is not ideal. I thought Harry was outstanding for England against Italy and rightly will be involved with England right through the Six Nations, which we planned for.”
Randall, who just agreed a new long-term contract with Bristol, earned his third international cap on Sunday in England’s 33-0 win in Rome. After a bye week this weekend, England host Wales at Twickenham next.
Lam continued: “Andy Uren has racked up over 100 odd games for us and been consistent so his injury is unusual and has come at the wrong time.
“Andy is due back around the last 16 knock-out rounds of Europe, around 12 weeks off.
“Tom Whiteley’s hamstring is looking pretty bad and he could be gone for the rest of the season so we only had Theo Strang available, even in our academy, JJ Williams is also injured, so we have brought two guys straight in.
“Toby Venner is someone that has played sevens for us in the past, he has been outstanding for Hartpury so I had a conversation with George [Skivington, Gloucester head coach] and John Barnes [Hartpury director of rugby], but you need three options so we have brought in Max Green as well.
“They are two young nines looking for opportunities in the Premiership and now all three of them can fight for places in the squad for the next few weeks during the Six Nations.
“It was their first session yesterday, getting into the Bears’ way, and one of them will be straight into the 23 and the other will be as cover. It is a baptism of fire.”
Australian Strang, 24, joined the Bears on trial in the summer and now looks set to start at scrum-half against Worcester.
Lam said: “It is huge for Theo.
“He came in on trial and has played some of the cup games and A games but he has stat behind the other three and just like that, a click of the fingers and three are gone and you are promoted right up.
“He has to compete and perform against the other two as well, all three of them are in genuine competition for game time, certainly until Harry is back.”
