Bristol Bears have signed Argentina international lock Pedro Rubiolo on a three-year deal ahead of the 2025/26 season according to the latest reports.
Rubiolo is still just 21-years-old but is a rising star on the international stage having already earned 18-caps for his country, with his 19th set to come this weekend when the Pumas take on Ireland at the Aviva Stadium. An Argentina side that included Bristol backrower Santi Grondona, secured an emphatic 50-18 victory over Italy in Round One of the Autumn Nations Series last weekend, with Rubiolo playing the full 80 minutes in a display of his impressive engine.
Despite his young age, the 6ft 3in forward who can play both lock and in the backrow, has already been on the Test stage for two years after making his senior Argentina debut away against world champions South Africa in September 2022.
Rubiolo currently plays his club rugby for Bristol’s Premiership rivals Newcastle Falcons having joined the club in January 2023 on a two-and-half-year deal which will expire in the summer.
Despite the dramatic development of Joe Batley, James Dun and Josh Caulfield in the Bears engine room over the last year, Bristol have been under-resourced at lock ever since the disappearance of Samoan star Chris Vui into a Kafkaesque hole 14 months ago, with Rubiolo seemingly the reaction to address the issue.
According to The Telegraph, Lam and head of recruitment Gethin Watts, are reported to have beaten Gloucester and French Top 14 side Perpignan to the signature of Rubiolo in a real coup for the club with an ever-increasing Argentine influence at the Bears with Benjamin Grondona and his brother Santi, and full-back Benjamin Elizalde already on the books.
With Caulfield currently side-lined with a pectoral injury that will keep him out until the New Year, Bristol are understood to still be looking for a more immediate second-row recruit.