Bath eye up blockbuster fly-half addition - reports

According to a report in the Daily Mail, there is a new name on Bath‘s fly-half shortlist.

The club are set to lose the services of Welsh fly-half Rhys Priestland at the end of the season, with the 32-year-old linked with a return to Wales, as well as multiple interested parties in France and Japan.

Bath have already been linked with both Handre Pollard and Aaron Cruden, but with the South African likely to look at other options and the addition of Cruden requiring a compensatory and wage package that would be hard for Todd Blackadder’s side to manage under the salary cap, it looks as if they have moved on to other options.

Cardiff Blues‘ Gareth Anscombe is seemingly the man now in Bath’s sights, with the Welsh international reportedly offered a deal worth close to £500k a year to ply his trade at the Rec.

The Welsh regions have faced major delays in assembling their 2019/20 squads due to ‘Project Reset’, with the four Guinness PRO14 sides still unsure of what their budgets for next season will look like. That uncertainty could see Anscombe take the security on offer at Bath, whilst it has also caused the delay to Priestland’s future being resolved, as well as plenty of players currently contracted at the regions.

Anscombe, 27, was involved in Wales’ 21-13 win over England in Cardiff on Saturday, winning his 24th cap in the process, and is currently enjoying a run in the starting XV, something which would likely end if he does make the move to Bath, due to him not meeting the 60-cap threshold required to represent Wales whilst playing abroad.

Born in New Zealand, Anscombe previously represented the New Zealand U20 side, as well as the Blues and Chiefs, including playing an important role in the Chiefs’ title-winning 2013 season.

He has impressed with his versatility since moving to the northern hemisphere, providing positive impact at both fly-half and full-back, and if Bath can lure him east of the border, he would find himself in a competition with Freddie Burns for the starting 10 jersey, as well as young talent Tom de Glanville.

Watch: Eddie Jones admits Wales deserved to win in his post-match press conference