Pat Lam appears to be in the midst of a midseason salary cap juggling act as Bristol Bears confirm the departure of tighthead prop Jake Armstrong.
With so many talented free agents on the market following Worcester and Wasps going into administration, but little to no room to work with within the Gallagher Premiership's £5m salary cap to be able to sign additional players, Bristol Bears have confirmed Armstrong has left the club with immediate effect after four and half seasons at BS3.
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Armstrong, 28, joined Bristol in 2018 from Championship side Jersey Reds but has struggled to establish a place in the first team, making 32 appearances during his four seasons. Last season he spent a spell on loan at United Rugby Championship side Edinburgh Rugby and in September he joined Championship side Doncaster Knights on loan.
A statement from the club said Armstrong leaves Bristol by mutual consent after agreeing an early release from his contract despite the club's first choice tighthead Kyle Sinckler set to be away throughout November on international duty with England.
Bristol director of rugby, Pat Lam, said: “We’re grateful to Jake for his contribution on and off the field during his time at the Bears.
"He departs with our best wishes for the future and can be proud of what he has achieved as a Foundation Bear. We wish him well with his future endeavours.”
The moves comes a week after Welsh flanker Dan Thomas was sent out on loan to URC side the Scarlets for two weeks, ruling him out for selection against Northampton Saints this weekend. While Lam explained this week the loan was agreed due to the Bears being without a game last weekend after Worcester Warriors' demise and with a view to Thomas gaining game time to find some form, the other benefit of the loan is the forward's wages are temporally off the club's books.
Bristol have signed lock Joe Batley from Worcester Warriors and scrum-half Will Porter from Wasps since the two Premiership clubs went into administration but those funds appear to have come from the additional player credits available to replace long-term injured players.
The Bears, who are missing Sam Jeffries to a hamstring injury which will keep him out until February, have been strongly linked with a Wasps and England star flanker Jack Willis, but when asked directly about Willis and the other free agents on the market during his midweek press conference earlier today, Lam said: "Jack is just the same as all the other players, there is a lot of talent, it is a flooded market. There are a lot of players out there with two playing rosters made redundant. There are a lot of players out there who a lot of clubs would be keen on but we probably can't [sign players], unless we can fit them in [the salary cap].
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