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Bristol sign a Bears old boy as cover for injured Heward, Naulago

177 days ago

Toby Fricker races away to score last month for USA versus Samoa (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)

Pat Lam has signed former Bristol player Toby Fricker to provide some much needed injury cover at the Bears following recent casualties. Noah Heward and Siva Naulago have both been sidelined and the director of rugby has reacted by offering the newly capped USA international a short-term deal.

Fricker exited Bristol in the summer of 2022, switching to Ospreys before moving across the Atlantic and joining New England Free Jacks for the 2024 Major League Rugby season.

Having been capped in the USA’s final two matches last month at the Pacific Nations Cup in Japan, Fricker has now been snapped by Bristol ahead of next weekend’s Gallagher Premiership trip to Exeter.

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A statement read: “Toby Fricker will re-join the Bears with immediate effect as short-term injury cover, the club can confirm.

“The versatile back three player, who was recently capped by the USA, signs a three-month deal following injuries to Noah Heward (hamstring) and Siva Naulago (fractured cheekbone). Fricker made 32 appearances before departing at the end of the 2022/23 season, scoring 12 tries.”

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Lam explained: “With long-term injuries in our back three to Siva and Noah, it’s great to be able to bring in a player of Toby’s quality and experience on a three-month deal.

“Toby knows our game and culture well having spent four seasons here and he will provide strong cover across the back three during this period.”

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Janie Eish 20 minutes ago

Maro Itoje hits back at England critics over repeated claim

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1 Go to comments

DP 43 minutes ago

The raw data that proves Super Rugby Pacific is currently a cut above

Hi all. Thanks for commenting. JD is right: the headline is not mine. My headline was what ended up as the first sentence: “Why is Super Rugby Pacific so exciting this season?”. I am certainly not claiming that teams from one competition are better than the teams from another. This type of discussion is entirely subjective (as the teams do not play each other, and even with the players face each other in their national teams, it is in different systems, conditions, etc.). The season being exciting has nothing to do how well the Wallabies will do against the Lions, or against New Zealand.

My sole purpose here was to try explore quantitatively a ‘qualitative’ impression (that the season is exciting).

On Graham’s point about extreme results skewing the results, and Ed’s comment on removing outliers, this is precisely why I report the median values as well as the averages. The median is not skewed by outliers. If the margins of 5 games are 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 points, the median margin is 5. If there was one blowout and the margins were 3, 4, 5, 8 and 57 points, the median margin is still 5.

19 Go to comments

Head high tackle 47 minutes ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Price, venue, Hosting only done by 1 country, Profits going mostly to one country. Done in Perth…Furtherest away from NZ. Nothing works for NZR there Spew. NZR could host a Nth v Sth and make more money.

59 Go to comments

Head high tackle 49 minutes ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

That test is on the way into the NH EOYTs. Its got a perfect window and effects no other comp at all. Very very different.

59 Go to comments

Head high tackle 51 minutes ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Whats wrong with 4 matches between Aus and NZ SR sides? I think perhaps we just dont need more matches when we already have 5 on that weekend. I see no need for a test match in the middle of a domestic comp and I see far less need for one that only benifits 1 of the two participating sides.

59 Go to comments

Head high tackle 53 minutes ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

I think you are reading way too much into a game Spew.

59 Go to comments

DP 53 minutes ago

The raw data that proves Super Rugby Pacific is currently a cut above

Hi NB. I will probably include the Premiership if I repeat the analysis at the end of the season. I had limited time now, and the change of format (with teams disappearing mid-season, etc.) made it difficult to automate the analysis.

19 Go to comments

Head high tackle 54 minutes ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Ireland players wouldnt win a 1/4 final at a WC either so who cares what Ireland players would or wouldnt do. NZR took that match to Chicago to reward their sponsors.

59 Go to comments

DP 56 minutes ago

The raw data that proves Super Rugby Pacific is currently a cut above

Thanks Ed, much appreciated.

There are many factors that could each partly explain what we are seeing this season in SRP (redistribution of talent, sped-up games, etc.). It makes it difficult to ensure that it stays like this, but I agree it would be nice if it could.

19 Go to comments

DP 58 minutes ago

The raw data that proves Super Rugby Pacific is currently a cut above

Hi RedWarriors,

I agree that excitement and quality are not the same thing (I did not pick the title), but my focus was on trying to understand what drives the excitement beyond just looking at the margins.

The analysis is not based on 7 games. It is based on 7 rounds (34 games). For a 16-round competition, it is not a small sample.

And for previous seasons, it is including all regular-season games.

19 Go to comments

Head high tackle 59 minutes ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

The money was very unequal, the hosting rights very unequal, the travel unequal. Absolutely nothing WAS equal. Thats why it aint happening I suppose.

59 Go to comments