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Bristol Bears lock down 'dynamic' Samoan Alapati Leiua to new deal
Alapati Leiua has committed his future to Bristol Bears. The explosive utility back is an integral member of Pat Lam’s squad, scoring five tries in Gallagher Premiership Rugby so far during the current campaign.
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Samoan international Leiua pens a two-year extension, tying him to the Bears until 2021.
“We’re delighted that Alapati [Leiua] has agreed to continue being a big part of the Bristol Bears journey going forward. He’s been a key player for us and a positive influence on and off the field with his experience in the game,” said head coach Pat Lam.
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In other news: Premiership Rugby say they intend to ‘formally’ investigate the leaking of minutes.
“Alapati consistently shows that he is one of the most dynamic players in the competition and he will be a major asset for us going forward. He is enjoying his rugby and the team environment – we’re excited to see what he can accomplish in the next two years.”
The 30-year-old – who joined Bristol in the summer of 2017 – has made 24 appearances for Samoa.
Leiua is rated as the Gallagher Premiership’s 11th best centre in the RugbyPass Index, with an RPI of 65 and an impressive line break score of 85.
? Pace
? Power
? Ferocious hits?? Signed until 2?0?2?1?.#Le2ua pic.twitter.com/bjaom7ou2a
— Bristol Bears ? (@BristolBears) January 8, 2019
Leiua added: “I’m loving my time at Bristol Bears, so it was an easy decision to commit my future. There is a clear vision in place at the club and everybody knows what is expected of them.
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“It’s a really positive environment to be a part of and I’m enjoying my rugby under Pat [Lam] and the coaching team. The focus for us now is to keep pushing up the Gallagher Premiership table and working hard to achieve our goals.”
Watch: RugbyPass Originals: The Bear Pit – RugbyPass behind-the-scenes as Bristol Bears prepare for top flight.
Leiua follows fellow-Samoan Chris Vui (RPI – 59) in signing a new deal at the club. The influential lock’s three-year deal was announced on Christmas Eve and keeps him at Ashton Gate until 2022.
Vui was a key part of Bristol’s fast start to the season and has cemented himself into the club’s first-choice engine room pairing, bringing all of the leadership qualities that has seen him made captain of the Samoan national side.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to comments