Rob Bell joins Bees squad

Nov 27 2009 by Brian Dick, Birmingham Mail

THE influx of players into Bees’ squad has continued ahead of tomorrow’s daunting visit from Cardiff.

The latest to arrive is former Newcastle and Leicester back-row Rob Bell, who has been recently released by London Welsh.

With head coach Russell Earnshaw absent through England Sevens commitments, Bell goes straight into the side for the second game of Bees’ British and Irish Cup campaign.

The 20-year-old’s acquisition brings to six the number of players who have moved to Sharmans Cross Road as the Championship strugglers look to rebuild.

He follows Ben Patston, Ross Noonan, Stu Philpott, Joe Reid and Simon Pitfield through the arrivals lounge and, just as the quintet were before him, Bell will be thrown straight into the action just a few days after agreeing his move.

But backs coach Eugene Martin insists he has no hesitation about calling on a dynamic open-side who has demonstrated his determination to find regular rugby.

Bell had become increasingly exasperated by his treatment at Old Deer Park and made his feelings clear before leaving.

“He’s a young kid who only wants to play footie,” Martin said.

“He knows what he wants and he’s just going for it.

“He turned up on Tuesday, went through a few plays and made his presence felt.

“I really like his attitude and it’s clear he’s going to be valuable to what we try and do at the breakdown.

“He’ll get over the ball and disrupt a lot.”

Bell will need to do just that against the Welsh Premiership outfit, who started their Pool D programme with a commendable victory over Pontypridd.

Makeshift Bees, meanwhile, were on the end of a seven-try thumping at Rotherham.

“If we get a result that will be fantastic but as a coach I am more interested in what we learn from it and how we develop as a side,” said Martin.