mens
Gallagher-Prime Minister
Twelve days after being sacked by Saracens, Samoan forward Toto Auvao has been given a second chance by the side Bristol Bears.
Auvaa, a senior academy player, was sacked following the incident on a night out in St Albans – four months after he was involved in a highly publicized nightclub brawl which eventually led to England the retirement of captain Ben Stokes from international cricket.
Bristol Bears coach Pat Lam says he is ready to look past past mistakes and take the 21-year-old under his wing freely.
“Totoa is a big, physical young man with huge potential, who has unfortunately made some mistakes since coming from a small village in Samoa to the great city of London,” said Lam.
“His agent approached me to see if I would be willing to help him and give him a second chance. I’ve always believed that young people deserve the opportunity to learn from those experiences, grow and become better people.”
“Having spent time with Toto, I am confident that we can provide him with the mentorship, guidance, support and structure to give him the best possible opportunity to succeed, not only as a rugby player, but also as a person. Someone his parents and family in Samoa will be proud of.”
“He has tremendous ability and we look forward to helping him develop, make the most of this opportunity and become a valued member of the Bears family.”
