Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Bristol bring in two Irish players, including a hooker whose 2017 signing by Saracens caused ructions with the IRFU

(Photos by Getty Images)

Gallagher Premiership leaders Bristol have bolstered their squad, boss Pat Lam using his Irish connections to bring in hooker Tadgh McElroy and scrum-half Stephen Kerins with immediate effect. Half-back Kerins has arrived on a month’s loan from Connacht, the club that Lam guided to PRO12 glory in 2016. He has made ten league and European appearances for the team now coached by Andy Friend, his last run coming off the bench last October versus Cardiff. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Lam’s more intriguing short-term Bristol recruit is McElroy, who has arrived on a four-week trial. A former Ireland U20s player, he created headlines when his decision to join Saracens rather than the Connacht academy resulted in Irish age-grade officials excluding him from the 2017 U20s World Cup that he was set to feature at in Georgia.

Lam said: “We’re light at hooker and scrum-half, so it’s good to bring these two guys in to bolster our depth over a busy period for the club. They have arrived at the Bears high performance centre and will integrate with the squad with immediate effect.”

Video Spacer

Finn Russell guests on RugbyPass Offload with Simon Zebo and Ryan Wilson

Video Spacer

Finn Russell guests on RugbyPass Offload with Simon Zebo and Ryan Wilson

The Bristol boss has a good recent track record in faring well with recruits from Ireland. His team to face Wasps on Friday night includes hooker Bryan Byrne, a player who struggled to become a starter at Leinster, while one-time Ireland cap Niyi Adeolokun was released by Connacht last year. Both initially came to Bristol on short-term deals and have since become full-timers at the English club. 

New recruit McElroy had made the move back to Ireland after he exited Saracens in 2019 and his form for club side Clontarf had been promising until the All-Ireland League season was shut down in March 2020 and it hasn’t started back up since then.

Speaking to RugbyPass 13 months ago about how his career had panned out, McElroy said of his controversial switch to Saracens: “I wouldn’t change it because at the time for me it was the best decision for Tadgh McElroy to grow up, mature and become a better player. I matured as a player and as a person on and off the field and the best thing about it was I met some amazing people, met some boys I will be friends for life with.

“I lived with Joel Kpoku for two years, great guy. They all were. Saracens are known for everyone being close together and it’s just a group of good people. There were no individuals I’d bad vibes with. It was different. I had to live away from home, cook for myself, but you adapt quickly. I liked it because it was a different challenge outside the field and I knew I’d to mature quick. I’d be cooking, cleaning for myself, doing my bills, little things like that.”   

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING All Blacks XV player ratings vs Munster | Autumn Nations Series All Blacks XV player ratings vs Munster
Search