Pat Lam has revealed the ‘Tank on the Flank’ Siva Naulago was on the verge of an England call-up before getting injured.
The Bristol Bears director of rugby told Bristol Live that Eddie Jones is a big fan of the serving British Army soldier who swapped codes from rugby league to join Bristol Bears in 2020/21.
Injuries and disciplinary issues have rather hampered his progress after bursting onto the scene having scored a remarkable 10 tries in just 13 Premiership appearances.
READ MORE: Joe Joyce pays emotional tribute to Bristol Bears owner Steve Lansdown
Despite Naulago’s season going from one problem to another in 2021/22, breaking his arm in the weekend before the league kicked off during a behind closed doors game, only to return and receive back-to-back red cards for high tackles.
The plug was finally pulled on his season in April and he underwent surgery on an injured knee which eventually put an end to the Fijian-born winger’s international chances this summer with Jones taking a squad of 36 players down to Australia for a three-test series.
Lam said: “Eddie was so keen on Siva coming into the England camp but he got injured for us and missed out.
“This was back when Eddie was looking at the training camps earlier in the year, he was looking at Siva but then he got injured.
“It has happened to many players before.
Naulago is currently back in Fiji during his time off this summer.
Harry Randall is the only Bristol player to make the England squad this summer with tighthead prop Kyle Sinckler recovering from issues in his back.
Flanker Sam Jeffries received a call-up to train with the senior England squad earlier in the week but did not make the squad to face the Barbarians, or the trip down under.
Jones has opted to take five out-and-out wingers to Australia, with a combination of experience and fresh faces in Bath’s Joe Cokanasgia, Gloucester’s Jonny May, Exeter Chiefs’ Jack Nowell, and uncapped pair Tommy Freeman from Northampton and Leicester Tigers’ Guy Porter.
Versatile trio Henry Arundell, Joe Marchant and Freddie Stewart can also all play on the wing if required.
