Bristol Bears have signed Argentina international Matías Moroni on a short-term deal as injury cover, as Pat Lam battles an escalating casualty list in his backline.
The 93-cap Puma, who can cover both centre and wing, joins immediately subject to a medical. Moroni was part of Leicester Tigers’ Gallagher Premiership-winning side in 2022 and featured for Argentina in their win over the British & Irish Lions in Dublin in July.
“With the high volume of injuries to our senior backs, we’re pleased to be able to bring in a player of Matías’ experience and quality to boost our backline options for the next few weeks,” said Lam.
“He is a proven international and a Gallagher Prem winner who will provide excellent cover following the injuries to AJ MacGinty, Gabriel Ibitoye, James Williams, Noah Heward, Rich Lane, Louis Rees-Zammit – and Academy centres Joe Jenkins and Toby Baker.”
Moroni’s arrival comes after a bruising weekend in which Bristol lost Louis Rees-Zammit to a toe injury during their 50–17 defeat to Saracens at StoneX Stadium. The Wales winger joined Jenkins (hamstring) and Tom Jordan (ribs) on the growing list of backs sidelined early in the campaign.
Lam admitted after the heavy defeat that the Bears were already scouring the market for reinforcements.
“The recruitment team will be looking around for some extra players and we’ve been doing that in the background,” he said. “But it’s finding the right players — people in contract — so that’s always a tricky one at this time of year.”
Bristol conceded seven tries in north London and were out of the contest within minutes, although scrum-half Kieran Marmion did at least notch a consolation hat-trick.
Moroni, 33, will now link up with Bristol in the coming days as Lam looks to stabilise a season that has begun in grim fashion on the injury front.