The addition of six Wallabies including Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has raised expectations for last year's basement dwellers.
Son of former All Blacks playmaker and New Zealand rugby icon Carlos Spencer, Payton Spencer, is in camp with the Blues preparing for his rookie Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
With Borthwick favourite Mitchell now laid up, Saturday’s script was for the long lycra-sleeved Spencer to produce a show of force to suggest he would be a worthy of an England starter versus the All Blacks on November 2. Instead, the short-sleeved, socks around the ankles Randall – and Bristol – stole his thunder with a 36-26 win.
As it stands, there are fears that first choice No9 Mitchell will be unavailable as he has yet to pay this season for Northampton due to a neck injury that is still under investigation.
Bath and Scotland centre Cameron Redpath has recovered from the “significant ankle ligament damage” suffered at the beginning of the month to take his place on the bench against Saracens on Friday in the Gallagher Premiership.
Newcastle Falcons and England U20 centre Oli Spencer has signed a new two-year deal with the club.
Both the Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens confidently enter the HSBC Sydney Sevens, as series leaders.
Aged just 33, Rob Simmons is still thought of as a potential Australia call-up - a recent shortage of available locks even ignited speculation that Dave Rennie could be dialing a London-located +44 number.
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam praised the influence of Ellis Genge after his two tries helped Bristol to a 31-29 victory over Bath in their Gallagher Premiership opener
Ex-Scotland scrum-half Bryan Redpath has jumped back into frontline rugby coaching, agreeing to become director of rugby at London Scottish in the Championship five years after he stepped down from his head coach role at Yorkshire Carnegie.