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Bath set to double up in tighthead recruitment
By
Alex Shaw
Having already been linked with Will Stuart (RPI – 71), Bath are close to making it a double acquisition at tighthead prop, with further competition desired at the position.
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The club are also set to bring in loosehead Lewis Boyce (59) from Harlequins in the summer, with both Boyce and Stuart having played together for the England U20 side in 2016.
The two World Rugby U20 Championship winners are set to be joined by another English front rower, however, as Bath prepare for the expiring contracts of Anthony Perenise (61) and Max Lahiff (53) by eyeing up further depth and competition for Henry Thomas (69) and the incoming Stuart.
Cornish Pirates tighthead Christian Judge (78) is the man set to join the pair at Farleigh House and he is a prop with a growing reputation at the highest club level.
The 25-year-old has been on loan at Saracens since the start of the season, where he has made quite the impression and shown that he is capable of performing domestically and in Europe against a significant step up in competition than the one he would have been used to playing against in the Greene King IPA Championship.
RugbyPass understand that multiple clubs have been chasing Judge based on his displays for Saracens this season, but that due to salary cap situations, Bath were able to make the prop the most enticing contract offer.
Bath have been reliant on Thomas in the three jersey so far this season, but the arrivals of Stuart and Judge will allow the club to better manage his workload next season, as well as add two contrasting styles of tighthead to their group, with Stuart making waves in the loose this season, whilst Judge has bolstered a Saracens scrum that has struggled at times in this campaign.
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The Cornish Pirates prop has recently extended his loan deal in north London, which should see him continue to turnout for the club for their final two pool matches of the Heineken Champions Cup, before he heads back to the Championship in February.
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