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Canadian international Peter Nelson has signed for French club US Bressane as a medical joker. He arrives as the club contends with multiple injuries in their backline suffered during the preseason. Nelson’s ability to cover flyhalf, center, and fullback will prove highly useful in that regard.
The contract comes a month before Nelson’s 28th birthday. It’s the second professional club for the Northern Ireland native having spent eight years with Ulster at the beginning of his career.
Since the World Cup he has played for amateur club Dungannon. A short-term deal with the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby signed in March was scuppered when the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bressane will compete in the newly-created third professional division in France – the Nationale. Created to bridge the gap between the semi-pro Fédérale 1 and the Pro D2, the Nationale consists of 14 teams with promotion going to the top two sides provided they also fulfill strict financial benchmarks to make the jump to the Pro D2.
Nelson has now won seven caps for Canada since debuting against the USA last July. He started all three matches during RWC 2019 at flyhalf. Ironically his understudy at the tournament, Shane O’Leary, will play in the Pro D2 with Rouen Normandie this season.
