Bristol Bears have handed former Leinster hooker Bryan Byrne a contract extension after a string of impressive displays for the club.
Byrne, 27, joined the Bears on a short term deal in 2020 but quickly impressed at the Gallagher Premiership club.
With Harry Thacker sidelined following surgery on his neck back in the Autumn, Byrne has been the first choice hooker at the club during the 2020/21 campaign and excelled with seven tries to his name already.
Bristol director of Rugby Pat Lam said: “It was great to give Bryan an opportunity at Bristol following his time in Leinster.
"Leinster are loaded with quality players, they have a great system and a great coaching set-up. But he got told he was being let go because they have a lot of guys there and he was looking for an opportunity.
"He came on loan and was very successful, we extended it then, now we have extended it again.
"With Harry Thacker’s injury Bryan has come in and done a great job for us.
"I honestly believe if a player comes into our environment with the right attitude, because he clearly had talent, he wouldn’t have been at Leinster without talent, they can excel.
"He is hungry, he has real ambition and is coachable and wants to learn and get stuck in.
"He has proven his ability week in, week out so we’re delighted to extend his contract.
"Bryan has fitted in perfectly into the team culture and he’s a big part of what we do here.”
Last weekend Byrne returned from a knee injury sustained in the warm-up at Gloucester and looks set to continue as the Bears' first choice hooker until Thacker returns.
Byrne added: “Bristol is a great place to be – it’s an awesome city and a club that is going places.
"We’ve got a good group of lads here and it’s clear to see how everybody is enjoying theirrugby and the performances that the Bears are putting in.
“The key for us now is to kick on and achieve our team goals. We’re under no illusions about the challenges to come but we are relishing every minute of it so far.”
