Vaughan heads out on loan
Bath Rugby loosehead prop Will Vaughan will spend the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Greene King IPA Championship side Doncaster Knights in a bid to get regular competitive first team rugby.
The 23-year-old former England U16 and U18 international has experienced life in the second tier of English rugby before, featuring six times for Yorkshire Carnegie during the 2017/18 season whilst finishing last term with Jersey Reds.
With Lewis Boyce now fully fit having recovered from a serious knee injury, and England prop Beno Obano and Juan Schoeman all competing for the two loosehead prop spots in a matchday 23, competition in the front row at Bath looks fierce heading into the new season.
Vaughan, who came through the Bath Rugby academy pathway having been a part of the club since he was 14, has made 10 senior appears in the Blue, Black and White to date but will now get a chance to play week-in, week-out.
He links up with a Doncaster side that performed well in the truncated Championship 2021, finishing third behind table-toppers Ealing Trailfinders and play-off final winners Saracens with eight wins from their 10 matches played.
Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper said: “We are really pleased Will has the chance of regular game time with his loan to Doncaster.
“He has a fantastic opportunity of a new experience to help his development and we are excited to see how he progresses over the coming months.”
Doncaster head coach Steve Boden said: “We are very happy to bring Will on board and play a part in his development, he needs to play rugby and benefit from the individual coaching which we believe we can offer.
“We look forward to seeing how he goes in a Donny jersey.”
Meanwhile, former England international prop Henry Thomas has followed his former teammate Zach Mercer in joining French Top 14 side Montpellier.
Thomas, 29, was offered a new deal at Bath at the turn of the year but declined the deal on the table to hop across The Channel on a two-year contract instead.
The seven cap England international has been added to Montpellier’s glitzy squad following an injury to Yannick Arroyo and due to the anticipated future absence of Mohamed Haouas who has been a regular in the French national side since making his debut last season.
Montpellier boss Philippe Saintandre said: “This is recruitment to try to have a quality workforce throughout the season.”