Pat Lam says he is putting faith in the Bristol Bears academy to produce first team players.
This week the Bears confirmed 11 players are leaving the club at the end of the season and so far Bristol have announced the signing of just two.
Coming into the club are Wasps and England international number eight Nathan Hughes and Bath second second row Dave Attwood.
Pat Lam explains why retention is as important as making new signings at Bristol Bears
Going in the opposite direction are: Jack Tovey, Jack Lam, Nick Fenton-Wells, Tusi Pisi, Nick Haining, George Smith, Joe Latta, Sione Faletau, Jordan Lay, Reiss Cullen and Ehize Ehizode.
However while Lam says recruitment is ongoing he has warned fans not to expect a huge number of new recruits as the club look to slim down their squad size.
Lam said: “It’s more about what we need, making sure the balance of the squad is right. That process will be on-going.
“This season we had three or four guys brought in on loan, so that is always available to us.
“Now I have had a first season of Premiership rugby, you get an idea of the landscape.”
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As it stands Bristol’s first team squad will drop from 47 to 38 and Lam says he is backing the club’s talented youth to fill any holes left by injury.
He said: “It forces us to use our academy which is what I want.
“We have brought a lot of those guys through, there is some quality we have signed and with Blake Boyland [scrum-half - former England U18s] a young Bristolian, Jack Bates [winger - England U18s] the Bristolian, Charlie Powell [winger - England U20s] is in there coming through, Aaron Chapman [winger - former England U20s].
“You have got Ioan Lloyd [fly-half - Wales U18s] who has been a real superstar in schoolboy rugby - all of these guys are coming through.
“So if I keep growing the squad at the top end, where are they going to get their chances.
“As we have shown this season when the boys get their chances they are shining and become household names. Before the season people were asking are they good enough but they have had opportunities and I want to make sure that keeps happening and we stay true to our vision.”
