Dowson updates the Saints’ injury report prior to their Premiership matchup against the Bristol Bears

Prior to Saints’ Gallagher Premiership home game against Bristol Bears on Saturday, Phil Dowson has provided an update on the team’s long list of absences.

Shortly into the second half of last Sunday’s 20-15 loss at Sale Sharks, Fraser Dingwall was forced off, making him the most recent player to be transferred to the treatment area.

With five more players serving on international duty, Saints already had seven players on their “not considered for selection” list.

Thus, Dowson needed several minutes to go over the roster of names during Tuesday’s press conference.

The Saints manager commented on Dingwall, saying: “It’s basically on how quickly he recovers because he received a big injury to his hip area, and obviously a short turnaround is not ideal either.

“We’re awaiting updates regarding him. He now spends a lot of time relaxing and attempting to act morally while covered in ice.”

Summertime acquisition Burger Odendaal, who had a shoulder ailment when he joined the team but healed, has not yet played for the Saints. He then sustained a hamstring injury.

“He’s still a while off,” Dowson remarked.

“The one thing you don’t want to do is rush a recurrent hamstring injury so he’ll be a bit longer.”

Assemble Another recent addition who hasn’t made his debut for the black, green, and gold is Tarek Haffar.

“Tarek is a soft tissue injury but shouldn’t be too far away” , Dowson stated.

The Waller brothers are crucial to Saints’ success at loosehead since Manny Iyogun needed surgery to treat a groin injury he suffered on September 30 against Bath.

“Yes, Mamma had surgery,” Dowson said.

Due to a calf injury sustained the previous weekend against the Doncaster Knights, George Furbank was unable to play last Sunday.

According to Dowson, the patient suffered from a mild calf strain and other soft tissue injuries that should not be aggravated by repeated use.

“He’s literally on a day-by-day and I know I say that to you a lot but he’s literally on a day-by-day in terms of how much he can do.”

Half of Scrum This season, Callum Braley has not yet appeared in a match that is competitive.

“Cal is another one who is day-by-day,” stated Dowson.

Paul Hill hasn’t played for Saints since the match against Bath on September 30, and Ollie Sleightholme hasn’t appeared for the team since the Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final against London Irish back in February.

“Neither of them is in danger,” said Dowson.

Ollie is recovering from a recurrent hamstring strain, so we’re simply being extremely cautious with him because of previous hamstring problems.

“When it comes to him, we’re definitely being cautious.

Paul Hill is chomping at the bit to play and is really bummed about it. It will soon be his turn.”

Temo Mayanavanua, a lock for Fiji, was signed by the Saints prior to the current campaign, but he was just at the World Cup.

But on Sunday, he sustained a knee injury that prevented him from playing in the quarterfinal match against England.

“He’s come in,” stated Dowson. (to the club).

“It’s evident that he returned with a knee injury, and he will be sidelined for several more weeks.

“We’re going to give him a week off next week to decompress after the World Cup and he won’t be doing stuff for the next month or so.”

Notwithstanding the fact that his father, Sireli, passed away in the moments leading up to the game, Sam Matavesi came off the bench to play for Fiji on Sunday.

“He’s not back around the club but he is back in the UK,” stated Dowson.

“This week is off for him so he can take care of all the problems he and his family have been having.

“We are attempting to think about and assist the three Matavesi boys—our hearts are with him and his family.

“Sam needs some time off after the World Cup to try to get him as fresh as possible and we’re blessed in the hooker position so we want to get Sam to spend a bit more time with his family and hopefully he’ll come back to us a bit more refreshed and ready to go.”

Juarno Augustus is still out while he heals from a bicep injury that, according to Dowson, will keep him out for “a significant amount of time.”