Bristol back row Luatua signs new deal

Steven Luatua was the first player director of rugby Pat Lam signed to the club in 2017

Bristol back rower Steven Luatua has signed a new contract with the club to stay through the 2025-26 season.

Luatua is one of Bristol's longest-serving players and is set to make his 150th appearance for the club this weekend away against Northampton.

The 33-year-old joined the Bears in 2017 when they were still in the Championship and was the first signing director of rugby Pat Lam made for the club.

"He's been here as long as myself and he's been brilliant," Lam told BBC Radio Bristol.

"A lot of fans talk about him being the best signing and that's on the work that he's done on and off the field. He's a fantastic leader and he's captained the team 90 times, a high success rate.

"Everyone looks up to him, the referees talk highly of him, opposition have a lot of respect for him. It's great that he's continuing his journey with us."

New Zealand-born Luatua was capped 15 times by the All Blacks and switched allegiance to Samoa in 2022 going on to represent them eight times including at the 2023 World Cup.

He has made 19 appearances for Bristol so far this season in all competitions, starting 13 of those matches.

"It's good to lock away another year. My family love it here, we love it here. What we're doing here as a team [I'm] very excited about that. Very happy to be staying on," Luatua said.

"The mind is still ticking over and what I like in these last couple of years that I'm still learning. I find that if I'm trying to figure out things on the field and learn as I go, then the excitement stays with me."