Bristol prop Kyle Sinckler and Bath back Anthony Watson given go-ahead to make early Premiership return from post-Lions break to play in Friday’s West Country derby
- Duo to come back before the end of stipulated 10-week post-Lions rest period
- Sinckler, a substitute for all the Tests against South Africa, will start for Bristol
- Watson, who played two of the three Test matches, is on the bench for Bath
Kyle Sinckler and Anthony Watson will return early to club duty for Bristol and Bath on Friday night having been allowed to come back before the end of the stipulated 10-week post-Lions rest period.
Sinckler, a substitute for all the Tests against South Africa, starts for the Bears and Watson, who played two of the three, is on Bath’s bench after their clubs successfully appealed to a player management group for their early release.
Kyle Sinckler (left) and Anthony Watson (right) will return early from their post-Lions rest periods to play in Friday’s West Country derby between Bristol and Bath
England’s Lions players were meant to have 10 weeks off after an agreement struck in 2018, but now a case-by-case approach has been belatedly adopted.
At Exeter, Scotland’s Stuart Hogg is in line to play Sale on Sunday, but English trio Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jonny Hill and Sam Simmonds will wait another week.
Chiefs boss Rob Baxter said of Hogg: ‘He looks very motivated and really sharp. We’ve got a lot of faith in his ability to show what a good player he is.’
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