Bristol's Janse van Rensburg Ruled Out for Three Weeks After Pollock Collision

Bristol Bears will be without England centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg for around three weeks after the frightening head-on-knee collision with Henry Pollock that saw him stretchered off at Ashton Gate last Saturday. Director of rugby Pat Lam confirmed the 29-year-old will sit out under head-injury assessment protocols, telling RugbyPass the club would not rush his return: the plan is three weeks off, with Janse van Rensburg targeting a comeback for the PREM Round 4 clash with Exeter Chiefs on Oct. 24. The incident came in the first half of Bristol's win over Northampton Saints on Oct. 3, when Janse van Rensburg collided head-first with Pollock's knee while defending near his own line. The television broadcast chose not to replay it because of its worrying nature, and after a lengthy stoppage the centre was carefully carried from the field on a stretcher — though he was later seen walking and speaking to teammates, easing fears of serious neck damage. It is a blow for Bristol as they chase a first-ever win over Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday, having not beaten them since August 2020. He will also miss the Champions Cup trip to the Stormers in Cape Town, though Lam noted Ellis Genge should return on the same timeline. The South Africa-born centre made his England debut in 2026 after an eligibility issue was resolved, and his absence adds to England's growing injury list ahead of the autumn internationals.