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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.
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.”
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So spiteful that the Springboks won again, they just had to change the laws so that they would stand a chance.
Go to commentsWhy would Eben lie? The guy has achieved so much. He saw it as arrogance. Any normal person who plays against the ABs year in and year out would have the same thoughts. Why even talk about the final when you have the biggest game of your lives next week in a stage you have never gotten passed? Rugly is simple in SA. Have fun but the most important thing is respect. I’m not buying any of this misinterpreted nonsense. Eben isn’t English, but no one during that interview was asking what did he say? He's speaking and therefore his understanding is perfectly fine. It was an arrogant thing to say, esp for a team that has never been to a final, never mind a semi. You guys up north can interpret it in a different way if you wish, maybe that s why you don’t win the biggest tournaments.
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