Santiago Carreras' future is cleared up after Premiership bidding war

Bath boss Johann van Graan has held off a last-minute bid from Saracens to lure Santiago Carreras away from Gloucester when his contract runs out at the end of the season.

Van Graan had put a new full-back at the top of his shopping list and moved for Carreras after failing with a bid for back-to-back Springbok World Cup winner Willie le Roux.

Le Roux held talks with the Bath when he was in the country for the Autumn Nations Series after opting not to take up the final year of his contract with United Rugby Championship outfit the Bulls.

Bath, who are six points clear at the top of the Gallagher Premiership table, have always been confident of taking the Argentinean international 51 miles up the M5 from the start of next season.

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Gallagher Premiership

Bath

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Gloucester

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Carreras, 26, hails from Cordoba in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas and is the first-choice fly-half for his country, but his appearances for the Cherry and Whites this season have come at full-back.

Gareth Anscombe has been preferred in the play-maker role this season, which will be Carreras’s last at Kingsholm after agreeing to make the switch.

George Skivington was still holding out hope as late as last week that he could keep Carreras at the club despite Bath and Saracens lurking in the background, telling us: “Santi’s contract is up, and there is a lot of interest in him. Most clubs would be very happy to have him, and we will see how that unfolds.

“He has been here for a number of years, and I signed him when he was a young kid and relatively unheard of, and we looked after him. He is one of ours now. I have a good rapport, and there is no cloak and—just good conversations.

“Without a doubt, a number of clubs are interested in him, and it is in Santi’s court. He is valuable and pretty expensive. We helped develop his game, and the challenge comes when someone gets to a certain point, and they get very expensive, and that is the nature of the beast.”