Bristol Bears are both looking to bolster their backrow options with at least one out of work Wasps player according to the latest reports.
Bristol Bears are reported to have held talks with both England international Jack Willis and rising star Alfie Barbeary about moving to Ashton Gate after it was announced on Monday that 167 members of staff at Wasps, including all players and coaches, were being made redundant with immediate effect with club going into administration.
Wasps chief executive Stephen Vaughan is hopeful a takeover deal could still be completed so the club can participate in the Championship next season, but with the club’s entire squad now free agents, rival clubs are circling with directors of rugby looking to strengthen their squads.
The Rugby Paper's transfer news specialist Neil Fissler has tweeted, that Bristol Bears are interested in adding either 25-year-old Willis or 22-year-year-old Barbeary.
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However Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam is set for competition for the star backrowers with Leicester Tigers reportedly keen on adding Willis as a long-term replacement for flanker Tommy Reffell who looks likely to swap the midlands for Wales at the end of the season to extend his international career.
Meanwhile Barbeary, who can play both hooker and number eight, is reported to be in talks with at least four Premiership clubs, one of which is understood to be Bath, as scouts acknowledge he is one of the rising stars of the English game, with a power and dynamism few can match. While Barbeary would improve most squads in the Premiership, he is currently in the early stages of hamstring injury that required surgery which is likely to keep him out until early in the New Year having hurt himself against Bristol in Round Two of the Gallagher Premiership; that means his signing would be a more of nod to a long-term strengthening, rather than instant improvement.
Bristol’s current squad is understood to be right up to the £5m salary cap, but Lam looks set to have additional salary cap space available to him in two guises should he sign Willis who was named in the latest England squad for the Autumn internationals on Monday morning.
The Bears have a number of long-term injured players, including flanker Sam Jeffries who is set to return from a serious hamstring injury in February next year, meaning the club can dip into the £400,000 injured player credits budget allowed by Premiership Rugby rules, and would also receive an additional allowance for having a player in the England squad, joining the Bears’ frontrowers Kyle Sinckler and Ellis Genge.
Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam's has form for providing short-term options for those with Test aspirations who fall away from the top flight after bringing in Max Malins and Ben Earl for one season while Saracens were in the Championship and is always thinking outside the box to put together most competitive squad possible.
In a surprise move, Welsh flanker Dan Thomas has been sent out on a two-week loan to United Rugby Championship side the Scarlets this week, in a move to potentially open up some additional salary cap room with his wages off the Bears' books for a couple of weeks.
Asked about making more additions following Bristol's 29-0 Premiership Rugby Cup win over Bath Rugby last night, Lam responded with his stock answer, but then added a more telling comment.
He said: "Recruitment is on-going, nothing changes. You look at what we have, what we need and what we can afford with the cap. I am busy in that area, that is my job."
The Bears have already picked up Joe Batley from Worcester following their collapse into administration and other clubs are beginning to move on Wasps players with tighthead prop Biyi Alo photographed participating in a training session with French Top 14 side Racing 92 and Josh Bassett expected to join Harlequins according to The Telegraph.
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