Bristol Beas have signed Exeter Chiefs tighthead prop Sam Nixon until the end of the season to ease their injury issues in a key area.
Nixon, 25, has joined Bristol Bears on a loan agreement until the end of the campaign.
The Exeter Chiefs tighthead is available for selection with immediate effect as Bears director of rugby Pat Lam looks to strengthen his front row with Max Lahiff out to long-term calf injury, while John Afoa (leg injury) and Kyle Sinckler (international duty) are also unavailable.
Formerly of Bath Rugby and Bayonne, Nixon joined Chiefs in August 2021.
He made his Chiefs debut on the opening day of the season in the Premiership clash at Leicester Tigers and has since gone on to play ten times, including in the Heineken Champions Cup and Premiership Rugby Cup.
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said: “Sam’s arrival bolsters our options at the tighthead position.
"We’re grateful to Exeter Chiefs and Rob Baxter for their co-operation throughout this process.”
Nixon goes into consideration for Bristol's derby game away at Bath this weekend, with just Ashley Challenger and Jake Armstrong, Lam's other fit and available options in the number three jersey.
Despite Nixon's experience of playing top-flight rugby in the Premiership, Chiefs director of rugby Baxter has preferred to play Josh Iosefa-Scott and Patrick Schickerling at tighthead this season with first choice Harry Williams injured, with Marcus Street another option having come through the club's academy.
