Charles Piutau pens new two-year deal with Bristol Bears
New Zealand international Charles Piutau has committed his immediate future to Bristol Bears after signing a two-year contract extension with the Gallagher Premiership club.
Piutau joined the Ashton Gate ahead of the 2018/19 season and was impressive on his debut stint where he finished as the club's joint second highest try scorer after crossing over six times in 11 Premiership appearances.
“My family and I are loving our time in Bristol and it was an easy decision to stay. There’s a brilliant environment and a group of boys who are all giving everything for the jersey and the community," he told the official website of the club.
“It’s always an honour to play alongside my brother [Siale Piutau] and to represent the Bears in front of the awesome fans at Ashton Gate. Pat Lam has been a massive influence on my career and I’m loving my rugby here.
“There’s a collective belief that we can win silverware if we continue to keep moving forward and I’m excited about the future at Bristol.”
The 6ft fullback, who has played 17 times for the All Blacks between 2013 and 2015 also had stints with Blues, New Zealand U20, Tonga U20, Wasps and Ulster before joining Bristol. He has already topped the list in the ongoing season of Premiership after covering 551 metres in just five games apart from beating 24 defenders and making six clean breaks.
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam expressed confidence that Piutau's presence will prove beneficial to the young talents and the club on the whole.
“Charles is an outstanding team man and a world class talent. He has the ability to create opportunities out of nothing for the team, so we’re delighted that he’s committed to the Bears and our vision,” he said.
“What has been most pleasing is how enthusiastic Charles is about the Bears, his team-mates and the city. He applied for, and was appointed to, the role of community leader in the player leadership group this season, which underlines how much he cares about the community.
“On the field, Charles brings an invaluable attacking threat, but also a calm head and a wealth of experience. His game understanding and leadership at the back brings a lot of comfort to his team mates and it has allowed a lot of the young players around him to flourish"
