Rugby Bears back rower Haining’s set to head north at season’s end
POPULAR forward Nick Haining will swap Bristol Bears for Edinburgh at the end of the 2018/19 season the two clubs have confirmed.
The back rower, who joined Bristol Bears in the summer of 2017 from Championship side Jersey Reds, has made seven appearances in the Gallagher Premiership during the campaign so far.
Bristol head coach Pat Lam said: “Nick (Haining) is a great character and has played an important role in helping the club over the past two seasons.
“He departs for a fresh challenge at Edinburgh in the PRO14 with our appreciation and gratitude for the effort and attitude he has contributed to the Bears jersey.
“We all wish Nick and his partner Efia the very best for the future and for the new chapter ahead.”
At 6ft 5in and 115kg the 28-yearold is a powerful ball carrier but has just been unfortunate to find himself behind co-captain Jordan Crane and Samoan international Jack Lam in the pecking order at Bristol.
With the arrival of England number eight Nathan Hughes from Wasps this summer a departure at the back of the scrum was always likely.
However, Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill believes Haining can still achieve big things.
He said: “Nick is someone I’ve been looking at for a while. He’s Australian, but Scottish qualified. He’s a big boy, carries the ball very well and is a good footballer.
“He’ll add some further strength in depth in that back-row where we’ve got a lot of internationals. He’s a very good player and he’s keen to put his hand up and try to push himself into the national squad as well.”
Meanwhile, former Bristol Bears prop Jamal Ford-Robinson is set join Gloucester according to the latest reports.
The 25-year-old front-rower, who signed for Northampton Saints from Bristol in 2017, was reportedly considering a return to Ashton Gate.
Ford-Robinson earned cult-hero status at Ashton Gate with a string of storming performances, often from the bench after joining the club in February 2015 from Cornish Pirates
In total he made 48 appearances for his home town club but struggled for game time during Bristol’s last season in the top flight which ended in relegation. In the summer between leaving Bristol for Northampton Ford-Robinson played for England in a non-cap international against the Barbarians in 2017 but has not kicked on to become a regular for the Saints and was even loaned out to Championship side Coventry earlier this season.
According to The Rugby Paper and transfer rumours specialists RugbyInsideLine on Twitter, the prop has chosen the Cherry and Whites over his former side next season.
Gloucester have not officially confirmed the signing but are known to be in the market for a replacement for Paddy McAllister who is heading to Connacht at the end of the season.
Bears hooker Sam Parry is set to return to Ospreys. He made his second start for Bristol Bears on Saturday in their 25-27 defeat to Worcester Warriors, coming into the XV late in the day to replace Harry Thacker who had been battling tonsillitis. The 27-year-old joined the Gallagher Premiership side on a month-long loan from PRO14 side Ospreys on February 14.
With the original loan, which saw Samoan prop Jordan Lay head in the opposite direction, now expired, Bears head coach Pat Lam explained: “At this stage it is weekto-week.”
However, Ospreys reported that Parry will return to the club this week, with Lay heading back to Bristol.