Irish hooker Bryan Byrne will swap Bristol Bears for Gallagher Premiership rivals Newcastle Falcons at the end of the season on a two-year deal, both clubs have confirmed.
The 29-year-old forward, who joined the Bears from Leinster in 2020, has scored 12 tries during 44 appearances for Bristol, including winning a maiden European title in 2020 and finishing top of the Gallagher Premiership in 2021.
Bristol director of rugby, Pat Lam, said: “Bryan joined us initially on a trial period and has been a big part of the growth of the Bears during his time here. His contribution on and off the field has been immense and he’s a very popular and respected member of the group. He can be hugely proud of what he has achieved with the Bears and we wish him and his partner Sarah well at Newcastle.”
Bristol have already confirmed hookers Harry Thacker and Will Capon have signed contract extensions ahead of the 2023/24 season and former Wasps forward Gabriel Oghre will be arriving in the summer. The club also currently have Fred Davies and Jake Kerr on their books covering the specialist position of hooker.
Before moving to Bristol, Byrne sent five and a half seasons with Leinster, making 47 appearances and helping to win the Pro 14, Heineken Champions Cup and B&I Cup winner during his time in the Irish capital, having been capped for Ireland Under-20s, 19s and 18s.
Bryne said: said: “It’s a really exciting opportunity to come to Newcastle, which I’m looking forward to.
“I spoke on the phone with Alex Codling who is coming in as the new head coach, and he was talking about the vision for the club. That’s definitely something I want to be a part of, and the brand of rugby that Newcastle are playing is really exciting.
“You’ve got that mixture of really talented young players and a tough forward pack, which was very appealing for me. I’ve played against the Falcons quite a few times – it’s never an easy fixture and I’m really enthusiastic about being a part of things up there."
Byrne added: “When I was playing over with Leinster I would say my attack was a strong point of my game, whereas at Bristol the role became more system-led. With the way Newcastle are looking to play I’m excited about being able to contribute a bit more in attack if that’s how the coaches see things, and playing eyes-up rugby.”
Newcastle Falcons forwards coach Micky Ward said: “Bryan has got some great experience with Bristol and Leinster, so he’s played at a good level and knows what the Gallagher Premiership is all about.
“Having people who have been in those kind of top-end environments is going to be good for us, and as much as it’s great to have our really talented young players coming through you do need to mix that with experienced guys who are coming in as seasoned professionals.
“His line-out is really solid and he’s good around the field, which is a great foundation with how we want to play the game.”
