Out-of-work Worcester prop Jay Tyack is back in the Premiership

Tighthead Jay Tyack has become the latest out-of-work Worcester player to find himself a new club and he will be thrown straight back into Gallagher Premiership action this weekend. It was September 26 when the Warriors were placed into administration and all their players became free agents following an insolvency court hearing on October 5.

That decision has enabled numerous players to move on elsewhere and Tyack has now become the latest to find an alternative employer as he was named on the Bristol bench for this Saturday’s Premiership match at Northampton along with Will Porter, the Bears' short-term signing from Wasps who also went to the wall.

“Will Porter could make his Bears debuts from the bench, as could former Worcester Warriors tighthead prop Jay Tyack, who has joined on a trial period with immediate effect,” read the Bristol team naming announcement.

The 26-year-old Tyack debuted for Worcester in a May 2021 Premiership match versus Leicester and he had played a total of 21 matches for the Warriors before their suspension from the remainder of the 2022/23 Premiership season by the RFU.

He make his pro ranks breakthrough at Cornish Pirates and played once in the Heineken Champions Cup for Gloucester (against Lyon in December 2020) before finding his way to Sixways.

Aside from the potential debuts of their two new signings from the bench at Franklin’s Gardens, the headline news in the Bristol team announcement was the first start this season for Sam Lewis and a likely 100th appearance for Chris Vui, who was listed in the replacements.

A statement read: “Chris Vui is set for his 100th competitive appearance for the club when Bristol take on Northampton on Saturday. The Samoan is named among the system players for the round eight Gallagher Premiership clash as the Bears target a return to winning ways in the East Midlands.

“Sam Lewis will make his first league start of the season alongside Fitz Harding and Magnus Bradbury in the back row, with Joe Joyce captaining the side from the second row, while at scrum half there is a start for Andy Uren.”

Northampton, meanwhile, will give a club debut to Fin Smith following his October 10 signing from Worcester.

NORTHAMPTON: 15. George Hendy; 14. Matt Proctor, 13. Fraser Dingwall (capt), 12. Rory Hutchinson, 11. Ollie Sleightholme; 10. Fin Smith, 9. Alex Mitchell; 1. Emmanuel Iyogun, 2. Mike Haywood, 3. Paul Hill, 4. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 5. Alex Moon, 6. Sam Graham, 7. Aaron Hinkley 8. Juarno Augustus. Reps: 16. Sam Matavesi, 17. Ethan Waller, 18. Alfie Petch, 19. Brandon Nansen, 20. Angus Scott-Young, 21. Tom James, 22. James Grayson, 23. Tom Collins.

BRISTOL: 15. Charles Piutau; 14. Luke Morahan, 13. Piers O’Conor, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Henry Purdy; 10. Callum Sheedy, 9. Andy Uren; 1. Jake Woolmore, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. Max Lahiff, 4. Joe Batley, 5. Joe Joyce (capt), 6. Magnus Bradbury, 7. Sam Lewis, 8. Fitz Harding. Reps: 16. Will Capon, 17. Yann Thomas, 18. Jay Tyack, 19. Chris Vui, 20. Jake Heenan, 21. Will Porter, 22. AJ MacGinty, 23. Jack Bates.