Bradbury has Lam scouring URC market
Bristol boss Pat Lam is keeping a close eye on the United Rugby Championship for future signings following the immediate impact of former Edinburgh forward Magnus Bradbury at Ashton Gate.
Bradbury's summer arrival at the Bears was the culmination of eight years of monitoring by Lam, who first came across him as a teenager in the Pro12, now URC.
Lam spent four years as head coach at Connacht before joining Bristol in 2017, and remembers the moment when he and forwards coach John Muldoon first saw Bradbury run on to a pitch.
“John and I were at Connacht when he came on for Edinburgh as an 18- year-old and I thought, ‘Wow, where has this kid come from'?
“He's now older, bigger, more experienced and capped as a Scotland player. What I saw as an 18-year-old we've now got a better version of.
“I've tracked him since then. I keep an eye on all those guys who I watched in the Pro12 and who impressed me. I obviously still keep an eye on the Pro12/URC.”
Glasgow-born Number 8 Bradbury made an instant impact at Ashton Gate, scoring on debut in the West Country derby win over Bath.
“He wanted to feature more in the open field as well as doing the donkey work,” said director of rugby Lam. “He's thriving here.
“I realised from his character, his personality and from what he wants to achieve that he's a winner.”
Bradbury should have no shortage of input on how to improve his game at Bristol, with no fewer than four of the club's coaches and backroom staff former back row internationals.
“Myself, John Muldoon, Jordan Crane, Junior Paramore – we're all Number 8s,” added Lam. “We know who the good ones are.”
