BRISTOL BEARS HAVE confirmed that Irish wing Niyi Adeolokun will leave the club at the end of the current season.
The 31-year-old joined the English club in August 2020 after being released by Connacht, where he had spent six seasons and won a Pro12 title in 2016, scoring a try in the final against Leinster.
Adeolokun initially joined Bristol on a short-term injury cover deal but earned a permanent contract and has played for Pat Lam’s side 22 times overall, including an appearance in their Challenge Cup final success over Toulon in 2020.
Bristol have now confirmed that Adeolokun will leave the club at the end of this campaign as they announced their squad for the 2022/23 season.
Adeolokun has one Ireland cap, having come off the bench against Canada in the 2016 November Tests under then-head coach Joe Schmidt.
The pacy wing, who previously shone for Trinity in the All-Ireland League, has also played for the Barbarians twice.
Former Leinster hooker Bryan Byrne is part of the Bristol squad for next season, having made a positive impact since first joining the club on loan in early 2020. The Carlow man signed a permanent contract that summer and will play on with the Bears next season.
Kilkenny man Martin Mulhall is among the new recruits, signing for Bristol after impressing for Swansea University.
Loosehead prop Mulhall came through Kilkenny College and IT Carlow, as well as playing for Lansdowne FC in the All-Ireland League and being part of the Irish Universities squad.
Ex-Ireland U20 lock Joe Joyce, Ireland U19-capped centre Piers O’Conor, former Connacht back row Jake Heenan, and Dublin native AJ MacGinty – now a key man for the USA – are also part of the Bristol squad for next season.
Get instant updates on your province on The42 app. With Laya Healthcare, official health and wellbeing partner to Leinster, Munster and Connacht Rugby.
