Genge skips England camp but Lam says Bristol prop is looking fresh after Nations Championship grind

Ellis Genge was absent from England’s 36-man three-day training camp this week, but Bristol Bears head coach Pat Lam says the loosehead prop is in good shape after being granted additional rest by head coach Steve Borthwick following a gruelling Nations Championship campaign.

Genge, who serves as England vice-captain, played all 12 of the Red Rose’s Tests last season — a workload Lam says justified the decision to give him an extra week off before returning to pre-season duties at Bristol.

“We gave Ellis an extra week off. Obviously had a big workload in the Nations Championship. So Steve gave me the heads up on the back of that and, you know, we just supported it,” Lam said. “He is still coming back and graduated to play from his holidays and breaks. Steve had a chat to tell us about it, and he gave me a call about it, and it was all good. So he’s certainly looking fresh.”

Lam’s squad faces further injury concerns ahead of this weekend’s PREM Rugby Cup trip to Exeter Chiefs. First-choice hookers Harry Thacker and Gabriel Oghre are both unavailable — Thacker is recovering after being stretchered off against Gloucester, while Oghre is returning to full training following knee surgery at the end of last season. Lam said he hopes both will be fit for Bristol’s Gallagher Premiership opener in two weeks.

The Bears also received a blow with Argentina international centre Matias Moroni, who has fractured his cheekbone and faces a potential absence of up to six weeks depending on whether he requires surgery.

“He had a fracture in his cheekbone, so they’ve just got to go through that. We are waiting for the specialist to sit down and decide whether they have surgery or not off the back of it. So that could be four, five, six weeks potentially,” Lam added.