Sinckler may head to France after England snub

By PAUL REES

Pat Lam accepts that Kyle Sinckler may be more tempted to leave Bristol for France after being left out of the England squad for the Six Nations.

Sinckler, 30, an England regular since making his debut in 2016, has been linked with Toulon when he comes out of contract at Ashton Gate in the summer. Not being in the international set-up would remove one obstacle from moving abroad.

“Kyle is disappointed, but he knew from the feedback after the World Cup that he faced an uphill battle,” said Lam, Bristol’s director of rugby. “He is not the last who will not be selected and it is a test of character. He has been brilliant for us and thrown himself back into it.

“Losing his England place might sway his decision for next season. Players have different reasons for staying or going and the biggest reason for moving is family. People see them as rugby players but they are also husbands and fathers. They have a duty of care. Kyle is not old for a prop and Dan Cole is still in the squad. It is one man’s opinion and he has to be the best version of himself.

“If players do have options to move overseas, it is down to their performances. Kyle has bounced back before and I remember that after he was left out by the Lions, our next match was against Bath.”

Lam has not put a deadline on when he expects a decision from Sinckler, but with clubs already bolstering their squads for next season he would not want to leave it late to search for anew tighthead. France is becoming an increasingly popular destination for Premiership players.

Owen Farrell has agreed to join Racing 92 on a two-year deal with the option of a third, barring the former England captain from adding to his 112 caps.

Dropped by England: Kyle Sinckler

“Owen made the right decision for him and I know what he would have been weighing up from my playing days when I moved around,” said Lam. “A lot of big players have come and gone and this is the time of year when you look at retention and movement.

“I prefer to look at who is here. England has more talent than anyone else and the game here has to grasp that players coming out of school should be able to go anywhere they like.”

Lam goes into the Six Nations break determined that the Bears return fired up for a late assault on the top half of the Premiership.

“It has been an intense, relentless period,” he said. “We are not where we want to be in the table but we are moving in the right direction. This club has come from dark places and we are grateful to the fans who stick with us through thick and thin.”