Pat Lam may still turn to the transfer market to strengthen his squad at tighthead prop ahead of the start of next season following the departure of former All Black prop John Afoa.
Remarkably, despite being 38, Afoa has signed a two-year deal to play on at French ProD2 side RC Vannes having split his time between the pitch and coaching dugout at the Bristol this season.
The Bears of course have England and British and Irish Lions star Kyle Sinckler as their first choice in the number three jersey, but with his international commitments likely to see him miss potentially half of the club season in 2022/23, and with props very rarely playing a full 80 minutes anyway, strength in depth at the cornerstone of the pack is both vital and a potential problem area for the club.
