Malins out for season with ruptured Achilles

Max Malins scored five tries in three Premiership games for Bristol at the start of the season

Bristol and England full-back Max Malins is to miss the rest of the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon during a training session.

The 27-year-old has only played three games for the Bears this season and has been out since early October with a knee injury.

Malins had been nearing his return to the playing squad and was due to be included in Bristol's line-up for their eventual record-breaking win against Leicester when he suffered the new injury.

"It's such a big blow," Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam told BBC Radio Bristol.

"He was going really well, he was flying [in training] and I was just buzzing that Max was back, he was such a quality player.

"He just stepped off his right foot and went down, I was on the other side and the first thing they said [was] it feels like someone's kicked him.

"He hobbled off and was trying to come back into training but by the time the physios looked at it, they took him in and said the devastating news he's ruptured his Achilles."

Malins had been in good form prior to the injury, scoring five tries in the first three Premiership games of the season for Bristol and was named Premiership player of the month for September.

He was part of England's squad at the 2023 World Cup, where he won his 22nd cap.

"It's the first one I've had in my time here, eight seasons, so I just feel for him," said Lam.

"He had worked so hard in pre-season and that's why he came flying out the blocks at the start of the season."