Alfie Barbery has become latest ex-Wasps player to find a new club

England prospect Alfie Barbeary has become the latest ex-Wasps player to sort out his future, agreeing to a long-term deal with Bath who announced his signing at half-time on Sunday in their game at The Rec versus the Barbarians. The youngster is currently out of action until the new year following an early-season hamstring operation that his former club decided he needed to get an operation on.

A statement read: “Bath Rugby is delighted to confirm Alfie Barbeary has signed a long-term contract at the club. The 22-year-old’s commitment was announced at half-time of the Bath versus Barbarians match.

“One of the most exciting young talents in the English game, Barbeary has been involved in a succession of England squads over the past few years and has made a name for himself in European competition and the Gallagher Premiership.

“He marked his senior debut for Wasps with a try just three weeks after turning 18 and has continued his fine scoring form ever since, crossing the whitewash ten times in 26 league outings since 2019.

“In Europe, the No8 has produced several player-of-the-match performances, including a superb display against 2021 Heineken Champions Cup winners Toulouse, and has a 1:1 try ratio. Barbeary signs with immediate effect and will rehabilitate his hamstring with the club’s medical team before returning to action later on in the 2022/23 season.”

Bath boss Johann van Graan said: “Alfie is a fantastic young rugby player who will add a different dimension to our back row. He has excellent ball-carrying ability and will provide us with momentum on the gain line. He has a number of great qualities which will complement our pack and he has an appetite to improve and contribute to Bath Rugby over the coming years. We are really excited to have Alfie on board for the next step of our journey.”

Barbeary had looked tasty in his opening matches of Wasps’ brief season versus Gloucester and Bristol, but he limped off 60 minutes into that later appearance in September and coach Lee Blackett reported at the time that the back-rower was looking at between a ten and 16-week layoff, dashing his hopes of involvement with England in the Autumn Nations Series.

The back-rower then posted a picture on his Instagram showing him on crutches being discharged from the Prince Grace Hospital in London and Blackett, who now works at Scarlets, explained at his media briefing ahead of Wasps’ final game before collapse why it was decided that the youngster required surgery.

“When I was saying ten to 16 weeks after the game (versus Bath on September 23), there was a decision to be made whether he had the operation or not. The operation was the higher bandwidth. For recurrence and the chances of it we decided it was best that he had the operation.”