Hughes arrives to help cover back row
Bath Rugby have agreed a loan deal with derby rivals Bristol Bears to sign out of favour number eight Nathan Hughes on loan.
The Daily Mail reported Bath had been in contact about bringing the 30-year-old to The Rec to cover their injury crisis in their backrow.
Wales great Taulupe Faletau is yet to play a game this season having injured his ankle in training back in September on his return from duty with the British and Irish Lions - although he is expected back imminently - and South African Jaco Coetzee is sidelined with an ankle injury.
Josh Bayliss is set to be away during the Six Nations with Scotland and suffered a head knock in Bath’s 64-7 thrashing from Leinster on Saturday in the final pool stage game of the Heineken Champions Cup.
Sam Underhill, who has also packed down out of position at eight for Bath this season, also suffered another HIA having only just returned from a month out following a brain injury against Gloucester on Boxing Day.
The result is Bath are seriously running out of fit and healthy options across the backrow.
Bristol in contrast have sent 22-cap former England international Hughes out on loan to Hartpury University this week as the Fijian-born backrower appears to be heading towards the exit door at Ashton Gate.
After a poor start to the season Hughes was dropped by Bears director of rugby Pat Lam, and barring a rare start against Exeter Chiefs on Boxing Day, has spent most the season holding tackle pads and travelling as an injury reserve.
Meanwhile, Hughes’ replacement at number eight in the Bristol side, Fitz Harding, continues to grow in stature as he was named the Heineken star of the match for his display in the Bears’ 52-21 win away at Scarlets on Saturday.
Speaking about Harding after the game, Lam said: “He is phenomenal.
He is just getting better and better and he is playing week after week. He is diligent.
“We highlight the fact he is now the most dominant tackler in our team statistically but he goes and does the extra work with Omar [Mouneimne, defence and collision coach].
“He is a very good ball carrier but he goes and does the work with Jordan Crane [former England number eight and now academy transition coach].
“He is very good at the set piece but he goes and does the work with John Muldoon [former Ireland number eight and now Bears forward coach] so he is getting rewards for putting in the work.
“It is not rocket science and he is a great example of the hunger to improve and then the performance takes care of itself.”
Away from the glamour of the Champions Cup, Hughes made his Hartpury debut in a 31-31 draw with London Scottish in the second tier RFU Championship on Friday night, and performed well at the ALPAS Arena, earning a glowing assessment from head coach John Barnes who said: “Nathan Hughes was clearly our best player. It’s just a shame that nobody else stepped up to match his efforts.”
Hughes scored a try and helped set up others, with fellow Bears team mate Mitch Eadie also bagging a try for Hartpury.
Speaking to the BBC after the deal was agreed, Bath head coach Neil Hatley
said: “Nathan’s a destructive ball carrier and provides critical cover throughout the international window.”
Hughes will be ineligible for the Premiership fixture against his parent club on March 5.