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<\/p>\nBristol Bears host Bath Rugby at Ashton Gate on Friday night in Round 17 of the 2025\/26 Gallagher PREM<\/p>\n
AJ MacGinty of Bristol Bears runs with the ball. (Photo by David Rogers\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Pat Lam is weighing up throwing veteran fly-half AJ MacGinty into Bristol Bears<\/a>\u2019 biggest game of the season in the derby against Bath Rugby on Friday night, with the club’s fading hopes of making the play-offs on the line.<\/p>\n MacGinty has not played a game since the opening weekend of the Gallagher PREM back in September, when he ruptured his Achilles, but Bristol director of rugby Lam is confident his 36-year-old key lieutenant has the mentality and game to pull the strings for his side opposite Scotland star Finn Russell, should he pull the trigger on replacing Tom Jordan at 10.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Tributes paid to Bristol rugby legend ‘Humpo’ after sudden death<\/a><\/p>\n Jordan has struggled in Bristol\u2019s defensive system at times in recent weeks, including in the 94-33 embarrassment away at Northampton Saints last time out, which has seen the Bears drop down to sixth in the table, with Saracens leap-frogging the Bears to become Exeter Chiefs\u2019 primary rivals for the only play-off spot still available.<\/p>\n Discussing McGinty, Lam said: \u201cAJ is out there training. Everyone knows my thoughts on AJ. We have been together for a long time now.<\/p>\n \u201cAll season we would have liked the option [to play Tom Jordan at full-back or centre] to be able to move players around the backline and have depth, and we certainly have that now.<\/p>\n \u201cThe medics know I want players to be able to play 80 minutes. When they return, they return to perform. If players don\u2019t hit the metrics physically or tactically as part of our Return to Play programme, they can\u2019 play. When they do, then I will make an assessment if a player has been out for a long time, you can make a judgment on the game and the context of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n In the pack, Lam said tighthead prop George Kloska is going through final medical assessments over his chances of being involved this weekend after he pulled up with a calf injury in the demolition at Saints.<\/p>\n Want to make sure you are on top of all the rugby news in the South West? Then our new newsletter is the perfect place to do so<\/p>\n All the latest news, views, interviews, reports, and analysis concerning Bristol Bears, Bath Rugby, Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester Rugby are delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n It’s completely free and you can sign up HERE<\/a><\/p>\n Providing an update, Lam said: \u201cGeorge is out there training; he will have a final fitness test on Thursday and we will just see how that is.”<\/p>\n Should Kloska miss the game, Lam will turn to Max Lahiff and Lovejoy Chawatama to lock down his scrum.<\/p>\n George Kloska of Bristol Bears is tackled by Afolabi Fasogbon of Gloucester (Photo by Dan Mullan\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Steven Luatua is also in contention to be involved in what looks likely to be his final game at Ashton Gate, with the former All Blacks flanker out of contract at the end of the campaign. Whether he will dislodge Argentina international Santi Grondona in the starting side remains to be seen.<\/p>\n Luatua has been fighting back from a hamstring injury he suffered in the defeat to Toulouse in the last 16 knockout round of the Champions Cup back in early April.<\/p>\n On the derby, Lam said: \u201cWe haven\u2019t lost at Ashton Gate [to Bath] during my time here [nine years, eight in the PREM] and a lot of that is driven by the fans, the team and the players. We are up against a very good Bath side with a great squad, and we have just got to make sure we execute our plan.\u201d<\/p>\n Bristol Bears on Whatsapp<\/p>\n Join Bristol Live’s Whatsapp community for all the biggest Bristol Bears stories sent straight to your phone<\/p>\n Bristol Live<\/a> is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.<\/p>\n Through the app, we\u2019ll send the Bristol Rovers news, live match coverage, team news, transfers, fixtures, analysis and more straight to your phone.<\/p>\n To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select \u2018Join Community\u2019.<\/a><\/p>\n No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live<\/a> team.<\/p>\n We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don\u2019t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.<\/p>\n To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose \u2018Exit group\u2019.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_JS130771282.jpg\")
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