Gabriel Ibitoye: Bristol Bears winger on why the club feels like ‘home’

Bristol is a club known for its running rugby and it is easy to see why Ibitoye has thrived there under Lam, who said he had “developed immensely”.

“You would always see the guy who was at Quins and that he could do something special,” Lam added.

“Now when you look at what he does on and off the ball, within a team environment and playing team rugby that’s where you’re seeing him excel.

“Before his highlights would all be about the footwork, hands. But what we’re seeing is the way he runs back, the way he does things off the ball, and his reads of defence.

“All of that stuff is what’s making him an even better player.”

With Bristol narrowly missing out on a place in the top four last season, the obvious ambition for the 2024-25 season is to reach the play-offs. They start the new campaign away to Newcastle Falcons on Friday.

“I just want to win something,” Ibitoye said.

“I don’t think I have won anything yet so I would love to win some sort of trophy with the team, that would mean so much.”

Getting into the England squad is also something Ibitoye would “love” to do. “If the team’s playing well and we’re winning, that helps,” he added.