Bristol change 12 and hand one-time Ireland international Adeolokun a debut
One-time Ireland international Niyi Adeolokun will make his Bristol debut on Sunday as he attempts to firmly grab a career lifeline after being surprisingly released by Connacht last May.
The 29-year-old Nigerian-born winger was capped by Ireland against Canada in November 2016, six months after he had helped a Connacht side coached by current Bristol boss Pat Lam to Guinness PRO12 glory with a win over Leinster in the Murrayfield decider.
Despite starting nine games before the 2019/20 campaign was suspended, Andy Friend called time on Adeolokun’s six-season stint at Connacht, leaving him without a club during the lockdown.
In the end, a call came from his old mentor Lam and having initially trained with the squad, he became one three players to sign short-term injury cover contracts on August 27.
Lam said at the time: “I was very surprised when he was let go. I stay in touch with a lot of the guys I coach, and there is obviously a lot of the boys in Connacht that I have got a lot of time for and I watch them closely.
Beautiful, simply beautiful ? https://t.co/3uB2mcGAAV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 9, 2020
“Niyi had a couple of niggles and I gave him and a few of the others a run at the Barbarians as well because I know them well, I know their characters and there’s a lot of trust in there.
“I spoke to Niyi initially more to keep his head up when he was let go, and I know he had been training with Bundee Aki because they are great friends. But then later he rang me up and asked if he could come and train with us here.
“So he’s actually been here for a couple of weeks off his own back, just to get in training in an environment. And now with the injury, we have given him a contract until the end of the season. But he’s already been here just to train.”
Adeolokun will now start for Bristol 17 days after signing, the winger one of twelve changes to the side that secured maximum points in the victory over Northampton.
In the backline, Chris Cook makes his first start for the club, while Jack Bates, Max Malins and Ioan Lloyd also earn call-ups. In the pack, only Joe Joyce remains from Tuesday’s side.
Meanwhile, Wasps boss Lee Blackett has made seven changes to the starting line-up that beat Leicester on Wednesday. Joe Launchbury will captain the side on his 150th appearance for the club.
BRISTOL: 15. Ioan Lloyd; 14. Niyi Adeolokun, 13. Piers O’Conor, 12. Alapati Leiua, 11. Jack Bates; 10. Max Malins, 9. Chris Cook; 1. Yann Thomas, 2. Will Capon, 3. Keiron Assiratti, 4. Ed Holmes, 5. Joe Joyce, 6. James Dun, 7. Dan Thomas, 8. Jake Heenan (capt). Reps: 16. Bryan Byrne, 17. Peter McCabe, 18. John Afoa, 19. John Hawkins, 20. Mitch Eadie, 21. Tom Kessell, 22. Harry Ascherl, 23. Charlie Powell.
WASPS: 15. Matteo Minozzi; 14. Zach Kibirige, 13. Malakai Fekitoa, 12. Jimmy Gopperth, 11. Josh Bassett; 10. Jacob Umaga, 9. Dan Robson; 1. Ben Harris, 2. Tom Cruse, 3. Kieran Brookes, 4. Joe Launchbury (capt), 5. Will Rowlands, 6. Brad Shields, 7. Jack Willis, 8. Tom Willis. Reps: 16. Gabriel Oghre, 17. Tom West, 18. Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 19. James Gaskell, 20. Thomas Young, 21. Ben Vellacott, 22. Ryan Mills, 23. Marcus Watson.
Sensational first start by the rookie ?https://t.co/biKoUaOl9d
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 10, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Rest is for namby pamby sissies, I see. True men should overcome their trifling injuries by playing week in, week out. Bidwell’s stance reminds me of a Jon Gadsby character from the 70s, a rugby captain giving an after-match speech: “It was a very physical contest. One of our players caught a boot on the back of his head in a ruck, and he died, actually. But to his credit, he played on.”
1 Go to commentsI still see nothing in Sotutus play that hes changed his upright running style that failed so many times against decent international defences like the french. Other than that… Iose? Well you have covered his limitations well. If Sititi had been playing the the season… Jacobson? Grace?…Neither shout pick me. So Ardie it is.
1 Go to commentsThere isn’t one element you mentioned there that every top class or successful team gets up to. The great All blacks sides used to play on the ‘fringes or edge’ but it was essentially saying they were doing something illegal or borderline to gain dominance. The fine margins at the top are minute between the top sides. La Rochelle, the crusaders, Saracens, Toulon etc etc…..have all been accused. Get over it, the comment comes across as salty and naive. Northampton as well as they played to get back into the match were thoroughly beaten and controlled for 60 minutes and Leinster have only themselves to blame for kicking it away and hence losing control of the match and being nearly the architects of their own downfall.
2 Go to commentsThere is some talent coming thru thats for sure. The 10 looks special to me. Rico Simpson is a name to look for in the future.
1 Go to commentsI think this quiet honestly is just an innocent misunderstanding by someone who is pig sh*t stupid. Eben is a fine player but by christ, if he can’t understand or get what the Irish players were trying to say to him after the match…..well i hope he has someone looking after his finances, career and is reading the fine print for him, cause life after rugby may be quite difficult for the vacuous echo chamber.
27 Go to commentsIt could be Doris' day!
3 Go to commentsThe whole thing has blown up because Eben’s words have clearly struck a nerve in Ireland. Otherwise they would just laugh it off. I think some former Irish players, commentators and some Irish fans know deep down this Ireland team started to believe its own press and that a certain amount of arrogance had started to creep in during the World Cup. The topic was actually brought up by Irish pundits on Off the Ball recently. It’s fine to be arrogant if you can back it up. Ireland didn’t.
27 Go to comments‘The Irish are good people'. Why is Goode praising a people who hate his own? Wet wipe.
27 Go to commentsLa mejor final que se puede ver en el emisferio norte.
1 Go to commentsA lot of cope from south africans in the comments. Etzebeth is a liar and a hypocrite; you don’t have to defend him!
27 Go to commentsHe got big and really slow for a flyhalf…not sure he’s relevant in a bok conversation anymore
4 Go to commentsBest tourney team vs best team in the regular season for 3 games in RSA - talk is cheap, let’s see what’s what on the tour
27 Go to commentsOne overlooked statistic from their 2016 winning season is the Huricanes are still the only team in Super rugby history not to concede a try during the playoff rounds.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the article, Nick. The Nienaber blitz D does ask a lot of its scrumhalf. I have been watching JGP on D and he often looks like he has mastered what Nienaber asks for better than Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach! 🤣 Impressive season by JGP if I must make an understatement.
22 Go to commentsOkay last one. I promise. I think it’s despicable for Andy Goode to suggest that Eben can’t count to 12. To be fair he only had to count to 8 - the number of Irishmen who DIDN’T say that. Less the 3 kiwis of course. 23 - 12 - 3 = 8. See Joe. I can do maffs.
27 Go to commentsCheers, Nick! How do you see the Reds’ Jock Campbell’s play this year? Not as strong a carrier as Andrew Kellaway or Tom Wright, but does avoid errors. Do you see Joe Schmidt as wanting safety first at 15 or a try-assisting counterattacker?
91 Go to commentsI’m sure this was all just a big misunderstanding. Irishmen and Afrikaaners conversing in a noisey stadium. Not easy to get the right messages across. A minefield.
27 Go to commentsSay what you will about Andy Goode. But he is right about one thing… I’m not sure what that one thing is exactly… but I’m willing to hear him out.
27 Go to commentsAnother article to bait and trigger Irish fans. This must stop.
27 Go to commentsHi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
91 Go to comments