Bath have finally secured the signing of England lock Dave Attwood from west country rivals Gloucester.
England lock signs two-year deal
Bath have finally secured the signing of England lock Dave Attwood from west country rivals Gloucester.
With Danny Grewcock set to hang up his boots at the end of the season, Bath had pinpointed Attwood as the ideal replacement - and after a long chase they have now agreed a two-year deal with the 23-year-old.
Attwood has been tipped to have a bright future in the game, although he was dropped from England's elite squad after being banned for nine weeks for stamping.
But the former Bristol forward is hoping to develop his game further at the Rec.
Attwood said: "I am tremendously excited to be joining Bath. There are some truly amazing things going on at the club and everyone who I have spoken to, including players past and present, coaches and owners, back room staff and fans, is tremendously excited about the direction and future of the club.
"Personally, it is a great opportunity for me to push myself out of my comfort zone on the pitch and develop the brand of rugby that I can play.
"I will be sorry to leave Kingsholm behind, but sometimes that is the way life pans out. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time there and appreciated working with everyone.
"I'm delighted to be joining such a great group of players and hope that I can help in pushing the club towards achieving its ambitious goals, both in the Premiership and Europe."
Bath head coach Steve Meehan believes Attwood, who has gained a reputation as a fearsome operator in the lineout, will become a key figure in the club's pack.
Meehan added: "Dave is a very big presence on the park, and a lot for opposition players to handle, so he is going to make a significant impact for us.
"He has very good line-out skills, and his style of play will work well with ours."
