Bristol statement: Operation has sidelined new signing Viliame Mata

Viliame Mata will miss the start of the new Gallagher Premiership season after Bristol confirmed that their new signing has undergone an operation following a training ground injury sustained when the Bears were put through their paces alongside a Championship club.

It was last January when Bristol revealed that the Fijian back-rower would join them for the 2024/25 season from Edinburgh, the Scottish club he had played for since 2016/17.

The 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-finalist versus England was shaping up for involvement in Bristol’s opening Premiership matches, a campaign that begins with a September 20 trip to Newcastle.

However, the soon-to-be 33-year-old has instead been sidelined until November at the earliest following hamstring damage sustained in a training ground hit-out with Ealing, the 2023/24 Championship champions.

The visit by the Trailfinders was the latest rendezvous between Bristol and other teams at their high performance centre as Connacht, Hartpury, Ealing and Doncaster were all part of a recent schedule featuring behind-closed-doors fixtures and joint training sessions ahead of Friday’s pre-season game versus Dragons at Clifton.

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A Bristol statement read: “Viliame Mata has undergone successful surgery which will rule the back rower out of action until November. The Fijian international sustained a contact hamstring injury in a behind-closed-doors training session with Ealing Trailfinders at the high performance centre.

“Steven Luatua’s rehabilitation from a wrist injury continues to progress with the Bears centurion and captain Fitz Harding both on track to return for round one of the Gallagher Premiership season.”