Bristol Bears have handed former Saracens forward Totoa Auvaa a rugby lifeline, just two weeks after the 21-year-old was sacked by the London club.

The powerful Samoan back-rower has been given a fresh start by Pat Lam, who believes the youngster deserves another chance to prove himself.

Auvaa was dismissed by Saracens earlier this month following an off-field incident.

His departure came just months after he was involved in a separate nightclub altercation involving England cricketers Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson.

However, Bristol have now offered the 21-year-old a route back into the Gallagher PREM.

Pat Lam explains decision to sign Totoa Auvaa

Bristol director of rugby and former Samoa captain Pat Lam has explained why he decided to take a chance on the youngster.

Lam admitted Auvaa had made mistakes but believes the right support could help him get his career back on track.

He said: "Totoa is a big, physical young man with enormous potential, who unfortunately has made some mistakes since arriving from a small village in Samoa to the massive city of London.

"His agent reached out to me, to see if I would be willing to help him and give him a second chance. I've always believed that young people deserve the opportunity to learn from those experiences, grow and become better people."

Lam also revealed that he had spent time getting to know Auvaa before agreeing to the move.

"Having spent time with Totoa, I feel confident that we can provide him with the mentorship, guidance, support and structure to give him the best possible opportunity to succeed, not just as a rugby player, but as a person. Someone his parents and family all the way back in Samoa will be proud of.

"He has a huge amount of ability and we're looking forward to helping him develop, make the most of this opportunity and become a valued member of the Bears family."

Why Saracens sacked Totoa Auvaa

Auvaa's move to Bristol comes after a difficult few months at Saracens.

The London club confirmed his departure earlier in October following an incident in St Albans.

In an official club statement, Saracens made clear that his conduct had fallen below the standards expected of their players.

It followed an earlier nightclub incident involving England cricket stars Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson.

The two cricketers were subsequently cleared of violent conduct by the England an