Bears confirm squad for 2022/23 season

Ellis Genge, AJ MacGinty, Magnus Bradbury, James Williams, Gabriel Ibitoye are all new faces, while loanee Rich Lane has also joined on a permanent deal.

BUCS Super Rugby front row trio Fred Davies, Martin Mulhall and Rhys Charalambous are also heading to Ashton Gate, as are exciting scrum-half talent Oscar Lennon, who made his Gallagher Premiership debut against Bath at The Rec, and front row twins Jono and Toti Benz-Salomon.

Pat Lam also offers professional terms to eight members of the national title winning U18 squad, with Jimmy Halliwell (tighthead prop), Paddy Pearce (second row), Sam Worsley (fly half), Pete Carter (scrum half), Aaron Tull (back row), Ed Harvey (back row), Joe Jenkins (centre) and Sami Hamid (full back/wing) all graduating into the Senior Academy. Another addition is second row Joe Owen, who joins after an impressive campaign for Clifton in National Two.

Eleven players will depart the club, including long-serving duo Alapati Leiua and John Afoa, who will join French Pro D2 side RC Vannes. Dave Attwood makes the switch to Bath while Antoine Frisch has joined Irish province Munster.

Mitch Eadie, Nathan Hughes, Tiff Eden, Niyi Adeolokun, Theo Strang, Joe Cotton and Ashley Challenger will also leave the club at the conclusion of the 2021/22 season.

BRISTOL BEARS SQUAD 2022/23 (as of May 17^th, 2022)

Prop:

Jake Armstrong, Jono Benz-Salomon, Toti Benz-Salomon, Rhys Charalambous, Ellis Genge, George Kloska, Max Lahiff, Martin Mulhall, Kyle Sinckler, Yann Thomas, Jake Woolmore.

Hooker:

Bryan Byrne, Will Capon, Fred Davies, Jake Kerr, Harry Thacker

Second row:

James Dun, John Hawkins, Ed Holmes, Joe Joyce, Chris Vui, Joe Owen, Charlie Rice

Back row:

Magnus Bradbury, Fitz Harding, Jake Heenan, Sam Jeffries, Steven Luatua, Dan Thomas, Macenzzie Duncan

Scrum half:

Oscar Lennon, Harry Randall, Andy Uren, Tom Whiteley

Fly half:

AJ MacGinty, Callum Sheedy, Jac Lloyd, Tom Wilstead, Sam Worsley

Centre:

Jack Bates, Sam Bedlow, Ioan Lloyd, Piers O’Conor, Charlie Powell, Semi Radradra, James Williams, Harry Ascherl

Wingers:

Toby Fricker, Gabriel Ibitoye, Luke Morahan, Siva Naulago, Henry Purdy, Deago Bailey

Full backs:

Rich Lane, Charles Piutau

*Bold denotes Academy player integrated with Senior squad.

Departing: Niyi Adeolokun (22 apps), John Afoa (86 apps), Dave Attwood (74 apps), Ashley Challenger (8 apps), Joe Cotton (1 app), Mitch Eadie (147 apps), Tiff Eden (24 apps), Antoine Frisch (13 apps), Nathan Hughes (53 apps), Alapati Leiua (102 apps), Theo Strang (9 apps).

SENIOR ACADEMY

Props:

Jimmy Halliwell, Andrew Turner, Tom Sims,

Hookers:

Tomas Gwilliam, Aaron Thompson

Second row:

Joe Owen, Paddy Pearce, Charlie Rice, *George Taylor

Back row:

Macenzzie Duncan, Ed Harvey, Aaron Tull

Scrum half:

Pete Carter

Fly half:

Jac Lloyd, Tom Wilstead, Sam Worsley

Centre:

Harry Ascherl, Joe Jenkins, Matty Jones, *Harry Rowson, *Dylan Power

Full back:

Deago Bailey, Sami Hamid

*Bold denotes Academy player integrated with Senior squad.

*George Taylor (Loughborough University), Harry Rowson (Loughborough University) and Dylan Power (University of Exeter) will study at university and play BUCS Super Rugby, while remaining part of the Senior Academy.