Below, RUCK has assembled a list of the best players linked with moves to Bath down the years.
1. Leigh Halfpenny
Rugby's equivalent to a will they or won't they? The Wales international has been linked with a move to the Rec for the last four years, and even reportedly had a tour of the black, blue and whites training ground in 2017 when he was leaving Toulon. Halfpenny turned down the move, rejoining Scarlets instead.
2. Henry Slade
The then 23-year-old was linked as replacement for George Ford in 2016, who ultimately left the Rec to rejoin Leicester Tigers. Instead, Slade signed a new contract with Exeter Chiefs and has established himself as a club legend at Sandy Park.
3. Aaron Cruden
According to The Rugby Paper, Bath approached the 50 cap All Black last January. Cruden, who was currently playing his club rugby for Top 14 side Montpellier, ultimately turned them down to sign a lucrative deal with Japanese top league side Kobelco Steelers.
4. Steffon Armitage
The back-rowers move back to England with Bath to play at the 2015 Rugby World Cup broke down after the RFU refused to pay his transfer fee yesterday. In rejecting the request they argued – as they did in the transfer of Sam Burgess from South Sydney earlier that yea – that it would show favouritism to Bath ahead of their Premiership rivals.
5. Gareth Anscombe
They weighed up a half-a-million pound move for Wales No 10 Gareth Anscombe after the 2019 World Cup. A Premiership move would have ended the playmakers Test ambitions, so the 27-year-old decided against the move over the border.
