Pat Lam explains why Bristol Bears have ended their fly-half search with Tom Jordan
Pat Lam labelled Bristol Bears' new fly-half signing Tom Jordan as 'one of the most exciting talents in European rugby' after the Premiership club confirmed the signing of the versatile Scottish international from Glasgow Warriors ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Jordan is reported to have signed a three-year contract at with the Bears worth £300,000 a season. The New Zealand-born playmaker, who can operate at fly-half, centre and full-back, has won three caps for Scotland and led Glasgow to the 2023-24 United Rugby Championship title.
The 26-year-old earned his first international start for Gregor Townsend’s Scotland against World Champions South Africa last weekend, delivering a standout display from full back, having made his debut off the bench a week earlier against Fiji. This weekend he was named player of the month in the win over Portugal.
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Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said: “Tom is one of the most exciting talents in European rugby, so it’s hugely exciting to be able to bring him to the Bears from next season.
“Having coached in the Pro12 now URC, I keep an eye on the competition, and I saw the impact Tom was having at Glasgow, especially in the playoffs. They defeated the defending champions Munster away in the semi-final and then won the final away to the Bulls in the cauldron of Pretoria. Tom was impressive playing at 10 in these big games after featuring at inside centre as well during the season.
“I met Tom prior to his international debut, and it just confirmed to me that his ambition, versatility and skillset make him the perfect fit for our ‘Bears Way’ of rugby.
“Tom’s ability to play at the very highest level has since been showcased by his outstanding performances at full-back for Scotland in the Autumn Nations Series to date.”
Jordan made his professional debut for Glasgow against Benetton in September 2022 and was the only player to feature in every game of Warriors’ URC-winning 2023/24 campaign, making his 50th appearance in the final. Standing at 6ft1 and weighing 96kg, Jordan has made 55 appearances for Glasgow, scoring 104 points and nine tries.
Jordan added: “I’m really excited to be joining Bristol Bears for the next chapter of my career.
“Having spoken to Pat about the club’s ambitions, vision and brand of rugby, as well as the world class training facilities at the High Performance Centre, I believe Bristol Bears is an excellent environment for the next stage of my development.
“I’ve had an incredible few seasons with Glasgow Warriors and I’m really grateful to the club for the opportunities they have given me. I’m completely committed and focused on finishing the season on a high and giving my all for the club.”