Back 
1
England international set to leave Bath for Japan
By Josh Raisey
Bath have announced that former England centre Piers Francis will be leaving the club in order to join Japan’s Kurita Water Gush Akishima Rugby Club.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 33-year-old joined Bath in the summer of 2022 from Northampton Saints and will leave the Rec having made 20 appearances and scored 109 points. Francis earned the last of his nine England caps at the 2019 World Cup.
Japan will be the fourth country Francis has played in having previously played for Edinburgh in 2012 and the Blues in Super Rugby in 2016.
Francis said: “I am very grateful to Johann (van Graan) and Bruce (Craig) for giving me the opportunity to join such a historic club. Thanks to all the coaches, physios, and athletic performance staff for investing their time and effort into improving me as a player and person on a daily basis. The staff at the club have made my and my family’s experience a special one and their work is much appreciated. I hope my contribution has left the club in a better place and I wish everybody every success in the future.”
Bath head coach Johann van Graan said: “Piers is one of the best professionals I have ever had the pleasure of coaching, in terms of the standards he sets himself in training, recovery, and preparation, through to the way he carries himself off the pitch – a true role model for any young players looking to reach the very top of the game. Whilst we recognise his departure will be a big loss to our squad, we appreciate this is a brilliant opportunity for Piers to take on an exciting new challenge overseas and we wish him, his wife Amanda, and his young family all the very best for what lies ahead.”
Latest Comments
The weather was dreadful but the playing surface was great so there is no real excuse for such another poor standard of play from both sides. Dragons just the better team. But, what a shocking decision by the TMO not to award the Fifita try. This pretty much sums up Welsh rugby with poor teams and poor officials. The WRU have a lot of work to do and it needs to be done quickly to avoid rugby being lost to our future generations.
Go to commentsNo chance of Borthwick selecting any young talent. He announced his selection policy from the outset with naming a poor OF as Captain, retaining an equally poor Youngs and Vunipola brothers when there were many better EQP in the Premiership. SB revival of Leicester was based on SA muscle and a terrific Welsh flanker he has generally ignored young English talent.
Go to comments