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Bristol confirm three new signings, including recruit from Leicester
By Liam Heagney
Pat Lam has bolstered Bristol for the 2024/25 season with the confirmation of three new signings, a scrum-half from Gallagher Premiership rivals Leicester as well as a hooker and a second row from the Championship.
A recent renaissance in results has fired the Bears into the end-of-season play-off positions, but they also believe they have recruited well with a view to next season. A statement read: “A trio of exciting young players will be joining Bristol Bears ahead of the 2024/25 season.
“Steele Barker, Tom Doughty and Sam Edwards will link up with the club ahead of the new campaign, as Pat Lam continues to build a highly talented squad for the 2024/25 season.
“Dynamic second row Barker joins from Championship side Cornish Pirates, where the 23-year-old has been one of the standout players in the competition this season. The former Cornwall U20 forward has made 17 appearances for the Pirates in 2023/24.
“Hooker Tom Doughty has been a key figure for Doncaster Knights in this season’s Championship campaign having previously made 24 appearances for Premiership side Bath during a four-year spell at The Rec. The 27-year-old has scored twice for Doncaster this season in 15 appearances.
“Scrum-half Sam Edwards makes the switch from fellow Gallagher Premiership side Leicester Tigers, where he has made four appearances in the top-flight. The talented 21-year-old, who represented England at U20 level, has spent the majority of the 2023/24 season on loan at Championship side Cambridge.”
Lam said: “Steele is a hungry second row who is eager to learn and get better. He has emerged as one of the standout forwards in the Championship with Cornish Pirates with a high ceiling of potential.
“Tom is a well-rounded hooker with Premiership experience from his time at Bath. He is a solid set-piece operator, with good skills on both sides of the ball, who has impressed in a good Doncaster Knights side in the Championship this season.
“Sam is a scrum half with a lot of potential who has already featured in the Premiership during his young career. He has had a good season in the Championship with Cambridge and will be a positive addition to our scrum half ranks.”
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Latest Comments
Great try by van Poortvliet.
Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
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