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Bath confirm third re-signing in three days
By Josh Raisey
Bath No8 Jaco Coetzee has signed a new one-year deal with the club, in what has been a flurry of re-signings this week.
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The 27-year-old follows Scotland back row Josh Bayliss and hooker John Stewart in signing new deals this week.
Coetzee has been hampered by injuries since arriving from the Stormers in 2021, making only 30 appearances so far, but he has featured heavily this season in what has been injury-free campaign compared to the previous.
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“I’m really happy to be staying at the club for another year,” the South African-born forward said after signing.
“It’s been great to come back from a long spell on the sidelines last season to playing some of my best rugby yet.
“We’re heading in such an exciting direction as a group so it’s great to be part of that under Johann.”
Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan added: “Jaco is a true ball carrier. I love to have ball carriers in my team and Jaco is one of them.
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“He’s had an exceptional season and I hope he has a brilliant future with Bath Rugby.”
Like Coetzee, academy product Stewart also signed a new deal with Bath on Tuesday.
After signing, the 22-year-old said: “I’m really excited to renew with the club. I get to play rugby with some of my best mates and lads I grew up playing with so to get to continue that for another year is special.
“We’re building something really strong here at Bath and it’s great that I get to be part of that.”
After a bonus-point victory over Sale Sharks on Sunday at the Rec, Bath closed the gap on Gallagher Premiership leaders Northampton Saints, and now sit just two points behind them in second place.
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Van Graan’s side travel to London this weekend to take on fifth-place Harlequins at the Stoop before a trip to Exeter the following weekend to play the Chiefs in the Investec Champions Cup round of 16.
