Piutau’s trailblazing path good investment

Charles Piutau, left, in action for the All Blacks against the Wallabies in 2013 championship, having won just four of 12 matches with a haul of bonus points keeping them clear of fellow strugglers Worcester and bottomplaced Newcastle in a relegation tangle.

‘‘Seeing what it means to the Bristol fans, and where the club has been, up and down, I am loving this environment,’’ Piutau told INews.co.uk.

‘‘I want to look back and see I was part of the Bristol team solidifying it as a strong household name in the premiership. We can create something that future generations can carry on. Exeter, where they are now, are an example. You see it internationally, with what the All Blacks have done. It would be great to see the same from a Bristol Bears perspective.’’ Eliza McCartney’s goals for the new year didn’t need too much thought.

The Olympic bronze medallist wants to put her frustrating run of injuries behind her and reach the elusive five-metre mark.

The pole vault sensation has endured a horror run of injury niggles in the last two years but with the 2020 Olympic Games less than 19 months away, an almost fit again McCartney is ready to make up for lost time in 2019.

‘‘I’m still working through a few things at the moment,’’ McCartney told TVNZ of her injuries.

McCartney, 22, who is back training after a short summer break, could compete in her first event of the year later this month but the IAAF world championships in Qatar in September is her major aim for 2019 as she builds towards next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Heel, hamstring and Achilles injuries have been the major issues for McCartney since her breakthrough performance to win the bronze medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.

‘‘I don’t know what it has been over the past few years, I keep getting injury after injury. But we’re working towards the summer season,’’ she told TVNZ.

‘‘The first comp is meant to be in a couple weeks’ time, so hopefully I’ll be ready to go, otherwise I’ve got the whole summer. And then we’ll be going into the international season with world champs at the end.

‘‘And I can finally say the Olympics is next year, which is crazy.

‘‘That’s the biggest target. Everything