Ellis looks to be heading for Bath exit
FLANKER Tom Ellis looks set to have one foot out of the door at his boyhood club Bath Rugby having signed a short-term deal to join Saracens with immediate effect during the Six Nations period.
Academy product Ellis, who has gone on to make more than 100 senior appearances in the blue, black and white and has skippered the side several times is understood to be leaving the Rec at the end of the season.
Ellis can play on the flank and in the second row and made his senior Bath debut against Glasgow Warriors in the Champions Cup in 2014, earning Premiership recognition a month later.
Discussing the move, Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan said: “Tom has an opportunity to experience a new club and to earn more game time. We wish him well during that period and look forward to welcoming him back in the next six weeks.”
His short-term departure follows in the wake of Mike Williams being released by the club this week to join Exeter Chiefs. Midseason exits at Bath will hardly come as a surprise with van Graan needing to balance the salary cap having brought in the likes of Ted Hill, Ollie Lawrence, Fergus Lee-Warner, Valeriy Morozov and Alfie Barbeary since September.
Ellis, 20, has already linked up with Mark McCall’s squad which is short of options in the back five of the scrum due to injuries and Six Nations call-ups, with England internationals unavailable this weekend when Bristol Bears visit the StoneX Stadium on Saturday in Round 16 of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership.
Bath have been handed a boost with the news fly-half Piers Francis’ citing complaint from the 19-19 draw with Glasgow Warriors in Friday night’s final pool stage game of the Challenge Cup has been dismissed.
Francis was cited by Italian match citing commissioner Gabriele Pezzano for allegedly tackling Glasgow Warriors centre Sione Tuipulotu in a dangerous manner as he collided with his head. Francis was yellow-carded at the time and did not play any further part in the game as he was replaced by Matt Gallagher at the end of his sin-binning following the heavy knock to the head. The former England international’s departure forced a reshuffle in the backline which saw Orlando Bailey move from full-back to fly-half with Gallagher going to the back.
An independent disciplinary hearing heard submissions from Francis, who accepted he had committed an act of foul play but that it did not warrant a red card.
The committee agreed and dismissed the case and he is free to play, however Francis will miss tomorrow night’s trip to the AJ Bell Stadium to take on Sale Sharks in Round 16 of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership as he goes through the return to play protocols following the head knock.