Joe Joyce revealed his conversion with Pat Lam to tell the Bristol Bears director of rugby that will leave the club was one of the toughest of his life.
The Bears second row will switch Bristol for Connacht Rugby in 2023/24, after one more season at his hometown club where he is a firm fan favourite having come through the academy a decade ago to go from 'the bin juice' as Joyce puts it, to captain the club in the Premiership.
"It is time for me to have a new challenge' Joyce said. “As everyone knows I’m a homegrown lad and a proud Bristolian, but I’m also hugely proud of my Irish heritage, so when this opportunity came about, I had to make a really tough decision and Connacht is really the only other club I’d play for.
