Ibitoye on growth at Bears and why club is 'home'

Bristol Bears winger Gabriel Ibitoye has travel a agelong measurement from nan subordinate he was erstwhile he first joined nan nine 2 years ago.

The 26-year-old returned to nan English Premiership pinch nan Bears successful 2022 aft 2 years playing overseas astatine clubs successful France and Israel.

Last play he topped nan array for galore of nan attacking stats, including astir offloads, astir statement breaks and astir beaten defenders, of immoderate subordinate successful nan league.

"I wasn’t nan aforesaid subordinate erstwhile I came into Bristol arsenic I americium now," he told BBC Sport.

"The coaches, getting up to velocity - being retired of a master situation week in, week retired - that does make a difference."

Ibitoye, who signed a new semipermanent deal successful February, has truthful acold made 39 appearances and scored 16 tries for nan Bears arsenic he goes into his 3rd run pinch nan club.

"I consciousness astatine home, moreover earlier I re-signed I told Pat [Lam, head of rugby] I don't want to spell anyplace else, I want to enactment here. It was an easy determination to make," he said.

"When I consciousness settled and consciousness astatine location that's erstwhile I'm astatine my happiest and execute nan best. We've sewage a bully group of boys present who I've sewage connected pinch since time 1 truthful I've really enjoyed my clip present and want it to proceed arsenic agelong arsenic possible."

Ibitoye has a CV not galore successful English rugby tin subordinate to.

He began his profession pinch Harlequins and arsenic a teen was portion of nan England broadside that won nan Under-20 Six Nations successful 2017.

The pursuing twelvemonth he was called up by past England caput coach Eddie Jones for a training campy arsenic an apprentice, on pinch Marcus Smith.

He scored 10 tries successful 22 matches during a breakthrough 2019-20 play earlier leaving Quins successful 2020 midway done his statement to subordinate French Top 14 broadside Agen.

Ibitoye was loaned retired to Montpellier soon aft but his clip successful France was disrupted by injuries. He only played a full of 9 games for some sides earlier choosing to return home.

It was past that a telephone from a erstwhile coach astatine Harlequins came in, offering him nan chance to play successful Israel.

"I'll ever opportunity that has been nan champion rugby acquisition I'll ever have," Ibitoye said.

"It was a batch of guys from different rugby journeys, immoderate boys were playing nine rugby successful South Africa, past you had Fijian, Namibian, Scottish internationals.

"It was good. Helping nan guys that didn't person vulnerability of master rugby and learning disconnected nan guys who had been to nan top, and exploring different cities arsenic good pinch coaches who conscionable wanted to thief america and put nan players retired there."

Bristol is simply a nine known for its moving rugby and it is easy to spot why Ibitoye has thrived location nether Lam, who said he had "developed immensely".

"You would ever spot nan feline who was astatine Quins and that he could do thing special," Lam added.

"Now erstwhile you look astatine what he does connected and disconnected nan ball, wrong a squad situation and playing squad rugby that's wherever you're seeing him excel.

"Before his highlights would each beryllium astir nan footwork, hands. But what we're seeing is nan measurement he runs back, nan measurement he does things disconnected nan ball, and his sounds of defence.

"All of that worldly is what's making him an moreover amended player."

With Bristol narrowly missing retired connected a spot successful nan apical 4 past season, nan evident ambition for nan 2024-25 play is to scope nan play-offs. They commencement nan caller run distant to Newcastle Falcons connected Friday.

"I conscionable want to triumph something," Ibitoye said.

"I don’t deliberation I person won thing yet truthful I would emotion to triumph immoderate benignant of trophy pinch nan team, that would mean truthful much."

Getting into nan England squad is besides thing Ibitoye would "love" to do. "If nan team’s playing good and we’re winning, that helps," he added.