Bristol sign Bryn Gordon as cover for injured Harry Thacker

Bristol have signed hooker Bryn Gordon as injury cover for Harry Thacker.

The 25-year-old New Zealander arrives as a free agent after leaving Newcastle in the summer Bristol Post. Bristol confirmed the deal on 15 October as part of a double front-row update BBC Sport. It gives director of rugby Pat Lam another specialist while Thacker recovers.

Gordon plays hooker, the central forward in the front row who throws the ball in at the lineout and packs down in the middle of the scrum. The lineout is the restart used when the ball goes out of play. The scrum is the eight-man push for possession after a minor infringement. He made two Prem Rugby Cup appearances for Newcastle. That cup is the early-season tournament where clubs rotate squad players alongside the league campaign. He has also played for North Harbour in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship, the domestic competition below Super Rugby level.

Thacker is out with a neck injury picked up in the Prem Rugby Cup last month. Bristol say his return date is still to be confirmed. Neck injuries are handled with great caution in rugby, and players return only when medics are fully satisfied. Lam said Gordon was brought in to strengthen the hooker options while Thacker is sidelined.

Gordon already knows English rugby. He joined Newcastle in January as cover for Italy international Hame Faiva Newcastle Red Bulls. Newcastle described him at the time as both New Zealand-born and English-qualified. He left the north east in the summer after his short spell. Bristol have not disclosed the length of his new deal.

Alongside Gordon's arrival, Bristol have agreed a new deal with prop Andrew Turner. The 24-year-old joined before the start of the current campaign from Doncaster in the Championship, the division below the Premiership. The prop packs down on either side of the hooker and provides much of the scrum's power. Turner has made two Prem Rugby Cup appearances for the Bears so far. Bristol have not disclosed the length of his extension either. The club listed the news as 'Bears confirm front-row updates' in its official newsroom.

For supporters, this is about stability where matches are often quietly decided. A crooked lineout throw or a retreating scrum drains momentum fast and puts the backs under pressure. Gordon offers a ready-trained thrower and scrummager who has played in England before. Turner offers a young front-rower who already knows Bristol's calls and systems, with cup minutes behind him and more fixtures ahead.