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Wales lock Luke Charteris will join Bath at the end of the season on a three-year contract
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The 6ft 9ins second-row has won 62 caps for Wales
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The 32-year-old left Newport Gwent Dragons for Perpignan in 2012 and then signed for Racing 92 in 2014
Wales lock Luke Charteris will join Aviva Premiership side Bath from Racing 92 on a three-year contract at the end of the season, ending his four-year stay in France.
The 62-cap veteran second row revealed he will be parting company with Parisian club Racing Metro just a year after signing from Perpignan in 2014.
He also admitted he had been offered a deal by Cardiff Blues late on but said that he had already signed with Bath by that stage in negotiations.
“It’s a great opportunity as that’s where I live when I’m back in the UK, having been to university there,” Charteris said.
“My wife’s family are there, so with the little ones, that’s the place that’s going to be very good for me.
“I’ll be coming back and playing at a very high level of rugby, which is important.
“Being in a team like Racing now, I want to come back and be challenging and Bath are a very, very strong team and hopefully I can go in and add something there.”
Charteris added: “There obviously was a temptation to come back to Wales.
“The thing for me being an older player, I am not a priority for a dual contract and I understand that. I didn’t have an offer from a Welsh team to come back when I agreed there [with Bath].
“Afterwards, Cardiff did come to me and say they would like me to come back but I had already signed. It had already been done and dusted.”
Charteris will join another Wales lock, Dominic Day, who signed a contract extension in January, when he moves to the Rec from his French club.