Pat Lam has always seen the talent in lightning quick winger Niyi Adeolokun.
The now Bristol Bears director of rugby handed Adeolokun his first professional contract in 2014 at his former employers Connacht having found him playing club rugby for Dublin University in the All Ireland League.
Even then the Nigerian-born speedster had to earn his place the hard way, getting a shot for the Irish province after a trial with Connacht Eagles.
When times got hard for Adeolokun in the summer, he called up his old boss to come and train with the Bears, earning a short-term contract in the summer of 2020 with rugby being played in midweek to fit in postponed game to complete the 2019/20 season.
The one cap Irish international did enough to earn a one-year contract extension at the Gallagher Premiership leaders for the current campaign and now he has put pen to paper on a deal keeping him at Bristol until the end of the 2021/22 season.
Lam said: "When I gave Niyi his first professional contract at Connacht, his coachability and desire to improve, on and off the field, was superb.
"He worked his way right the way through to being our main winger at Connacht, winning a Pro12 title and getting capped for Ireland [against Canada in 2016].
"Then I left for Bristol and we stayed in touch.
"Last year he was let go by Connacht, which was surprising, and he didn’t pick any other offers up and he just called me to ask if he could come and train with us for free during the pandemic and I said, ‘of course you can.’
"He came over and we rebuilt him across all the departments and he has just been great.
"He has fitted in well and is well liked in this group and he is playing really well too.
"It was great to be able to offer him a new contract and he is definitely a Bristol Bear now.
It hasn’t surprised me what he did at Connacht and what he is doing for us.
Adeolokun has made nine appearances in the Premiership for Bristol so far, seven this season, scoring twice, and was even part of the matchday 23 which beat Toulon to lift the European Challenge Cup last October.
The 30 year-old touched down in Bristol's Boxing Day victory to Harlequins and went over again in style last Friday versus Wasps.
Adeolokun added: “It’s been a fantastic first year with the club and I’m delighted to have been able to contribute to the Bears’ growth.
“Personally, my game is improving under Pat Lam and the coaching staff and I look forward to helping the team achieve our goals going forward."
