Mat Protheroe has returned to Hartpury as one of five players to join the club on loan from Bristol.

The full-back has made one Premiership appearance this season after returning from a serious knee injury that kept him out for a long period.

He will now be able to get some game time at Hartpury, where he starred in two AASE Championship triumphs with Hartpury before joining Gloucester, en-route to Ashton Gate.

Protheroe’s most recent Hartpury performances were in the National One campaign of 2016-17 when he regularly combined with the likes of Harry Randall, Jake Polledri, Ben Vellacott and Lithuanian express Jonas Mikalcius to terrorise opposition defences.

Mat Protheroe of Bristol Rugby
Mat Protheroe of Bristol Rugby

The former England Under-18 and Under-20 international signed his first professional contract at Gloucester and made four appearances in the 2016-17 season before joining Bristol.

Joining Protheroe on loan at Hartpury will be Ehize Ehizode, who has been performing well for the club in recent weeks, as well as Sam Graham and Charlie Powell, who both had some limited involvement earlier in the season.

Powell’s single appearance was in the 23-17 win over this Saturday’s opponents, Coventry, back in September.

The fifth member of the quintet – and the only one with no prior Hartpury involvement – is prop Jake Armstrong, signed by Bristol from the Jersey Reds prior to the current season, and previously of both Doncaster Knights and Wharfedale.

Hartpury director of rugby John Barnes, said: “We would like to thank Bristol Bears and Pat Lam for the loan of these players.”

Hartpury director of rugby John Barnes
Hartpury director of rugby John Barnes

“Clearly, we are having some serious issues with injury this season and we are hoping that the addition of these top-quality young players will be of great help to us in the weeks to come.”

“For our supporters, of course, it will be exciting to see an alumni, Mat Protheroe, back in a Hartpury shirt at some point in the next few weeks.”

Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam added: “Over the next block of crucial fixtures, it’s important we ensure that every player in the squad get game-time and have an opportunity to get minutes under their belts.”

Hartpury will hope that the new arrivals can help keep them in the Championship. They are currently six points adrift at the bottom of the table with nine games left.