Bath may swoop for Rowlands

BATH Rugby are reported to be leading the chase to sign Wales second row Will Rowlands as head of rugby Johann van Graan continues his work to transform the Premiership club’s pack.

WalesOnline, a sister website of the Daily Press, report 31-year-old former Wasps lock Rowlands is on the verge of quitting Welsh side Dragons after the 2023 World Cup.

Rowlands, in common with many other players, is a victim of the current financial situation in the Welsh game, with the four United Rugby Championship sides currently unable to offer new contracts due to an embargo on signing players for next season.

A funding deal between the WRU and the regions is still to be signed off, and the new long-term agreement is not expected to boost the regions’ finances.

Rowlands is out of contract at

the Dragons at the end of the season and is understood to be a target for a number of Gallagher Premiership clubs, with better wages potentially on offer despite a tough financial landscape in the English game too.

However, the Dragons are reported to be desperate to hold onto the Wales lock. Rowlands only has 23 caps, having arrived to international rugby relatively late in his career, making his debut during the 2019/20 season from the bench against France in the Six Nations, meaning his departure from one of the regions would end his international career under the WRU’s 60-cap policy, which states players who have not reached that mark and have made their debut for the senior national team must play their club rugby in Wales.

He joined the Dragons ahead of the 2021/22 season after seven seasons at

Wasps and this year was made jointcaptain of the region.

Meanwhile, Bath continue to be linked with a number of big names both in the forwards and the backs.

Just last week reports leaked that Van Graan is in talks with signing Racing 92 and Scotland fly-half Finn Russell, while the South African is also said to be interested in adding Springbok prop Thomas du Toit, who was red-carded against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

In terms of outgoings, England wing Joe Cokanasiga looks increasingly likely to be leaving the Rec, with a return to London Irish seemingly on the cards.

Bath are next in action at home to Harlequins in the Premiership on Friday night.