Siva Naulago could be fit to face Harlequins on Sunday despite limping off in the first half against Northampton Saints on Friday night.
The Fijian winger suffered a blow to his knee at Ashton Gate which is always a concern for any rugby player, especially one who had surgery on his knee last April, however, Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam confirmed the 'Tank on the Flank' has only suffered bruising.
Speaking in his midweek press conference, Lam said: "Siva has bruising on his knee so he could be alright, we will continue to monitor that through the week, with it being a Sunday game it helps us [by giving him more time to recover]."
Should Naulago not make it back in time, with Lam now naming his team much later in the week internally to drive up competitiveness in training, Ioan Lloyd is a top class ready made replacement having shone while scoring a brace of tries in the stunning 62-8 home win over Northampton Saints last time out.
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Despite the Bears' dominant, record Premiership win over Saints on Friday night, there were still a number of players who suffered knocks with flanker Sam Jeffries coming off worst after suffering 'a stinger' shoulder injury.
Providing an update, Lam said: "Sam has picked up another knock on his shoulder so at this stage he is doubtful for the game this weekend. That disappointment is helped with the return of Stevie [Luatua] from New Zealand after getting married."
Luatua came on as a replacement for Jeffries in the 35th minute against Saints only to be replaced by Jake Heenan in the 70th minute having landed back in UK the day before the game after getting married in New Zealand on the Monday. The former All Black's wedding had been organised months in advance to fall into a break weekend for the Bears, with potentially a Premiership Rugby Cup game being played, but the rejigged fixture list following Wasps and Worcester dropping out of the Premiership early in the season caused havoc with his best-laid plans.
Samoan international lock Chris Vui also left the field late in the win over Northampton having scored a try and emptied the tank in a performance which saw him named the Gallagher Premiership's player of the week.
Lam said: "Chris took a head knock so had a HIA but he has come through all of that process and he is good to go. "
Meanwhile Welsh international fly-half Callum Sheedy could be involved this weekend after recovering from a significant blow to the face. Lam added: "Callum is not too far so he is back in the mix." However, AJ MacGinty is increasingly making the number 10 jersey his own so Sheedy's inclusion would most likely be as a replacement.
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