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George Smith's Bristol Bears contract has gone from short to long

By Online Editors
Bristol Bears backrow George Smith (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

George Smith has extended his stay with Bristol Bears for the remainder of the Gallagher Premiership campaign.

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Initially signed on a six-month deal, the club and player have mutually agreed to a contract extension.

“George [Smith] has been a superb addition to the squad, as we were confident he would be,” said head coach Pat Lam.

“Not only for his performances in the Premiership, where he has been one of our leaders on the pitch, but also for the way he has carried himself off the field.

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“George sets a positive example and the advice and mentoring he provides to the younger guys is invaluable. He brings nous and experience to us in a key position in the team. We’re delighted to keep him here, and he’s really enjoying it here, so it was an easy decision for both parties to make.”

The decorated Australian international has featured in every top flight game this season, helping Bristol to two wins from their opening six fixtures.

He added: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the first couple of months here and it’s a great environment to be a part of. The boys are really buying into the club vision and what we are trying to achieve.

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“There’s plenty of rugby left to be played and I’m looking forward to continuing to contribute to Bristol Bears however I can.”

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Ed the Duck 1 hours ago
How Leinster neutralised 'long-in-the-tooth' La Rochelle

Hey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂

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