Bristol will be without England Sevens duo Dan Norton and Mat Turner for the next three weekends.

But Paul Hull is confident he will not lose both wingers when the IRB World Sevens series clashes with the Championship play-offs in March.

The Championship's top try-scorer Norton and fellow winger Turner will miss their club's British & Irish Cup match at Munster on Friday, as well as league games against Birmingham & Solihull and Rotherham.

They are core members of the England Sevens squad and have been called up for the forthcoming tournaments in Dubai and South Africa.

But Bristol RFC head coach Hull is eager to avoid a situation where both players are required to travel to Australia and Hong Kong in late March.

"Both Dan and Mat will be unavailable for Munster – and while Dan wouldn't have played anyway, it's unfortunate Mat won't be able to get more game-time for us," said Hull.

"They will also miss the Birmingham and Rotherham games, but we are in negotiations about the later tournaments, because there are the play-offs to consider.

"There are a couple of Sevens tournaments that clash with the Championship play-offs, which is what we are in negotiations about.

"The Sevens programme has been out for a while, but the Championship schedule was only finalised at the end of pre-season. So contracts and agreements for the Sevens were already in place before the Championship structure was finalised.

"But there will be flexibility, I'm sure, and we don't want to lose both players during the play-offs. That is very important – and I don't think that will be the case."

With Lee Robinson fit again after breaking his nose, and teenagers Jack Tovey and George Watkins performing well at Neath in the British & Irish Cup, Hull is not overly concerned about the short-term implications of Norton and Turner's absence.

But he wants to avoid being without two wingers at make-or-break time.

"The latter stages of the season are obviously vitally important," said Hull.

"But we have enough cover for the next two or three games, with Lee Robinson back fit, Tom and Luke Arscott in the squad, and Jack Tovey and George Watkins having just had some game-time for the first team."

Bristol, victors at Neath in their opening British & Irish Cup Pool B match four days ago, face Munster A at Nenagh in the same competition on Friday.