Player in Stokes and Atkinson altercation joins Bristol after Saracens sacking

Samoan rugby player Totoa Auvaa has joined Bristol Bears following his dismissal from Saracens. The 21-year-old was involved in a nightclub brawl with England cricketers Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson back in June. Auvaa was subsequently sacked by Saracens after another altercation in St Albans, which is currently under police investigation.

Totoa's agent approached Bristol Bears' director of rugby, Pat Lam, to offer the young player a second chance. Lam emphasized that the club believes in giving young people opportunities to learn from their mistakes and grow. Auvaa, described as a big, physical and talented young man, faces challenges adapting from his life in a small Samoan village to the bustling city of London.

However, with the support and guidance of Bristol Bears, Lam is confident that Auvaa can succeed both as a rugby player and as a person, earning the pride of his parents and family back in Samoa.

While Auvaa's disciplinary issues primarily consist of nightclub altercations, he has also faced trouble on the rugby field. During his loan stint at Championship club Ampthill last season, he was sent off twice for violent conduct. Once, Auvaa punched an opposition player in the face following a try, and in another match, he was involved in kicking someone in the head at the bottom of a ruck. The club considered these incidents in mitigation for his dismissal from Saracens.

The nightclub incident involving Auvaa, Atkinson, and Stokes, which resulted in a security staffer being bloodied, initially resulted in a standing by order from Saracens. However, after the St Albans incident, the club decided that Auvaa's behavior fell short of the standards expected of all club representatives both on and off the pitch, leading to his dismissal. Hertfordshire Police are investigating the most recent altercation, which took place on October 11th in St Peter's Street, St Albans.