Rugby League convert Regan Grace set for competitive debut

Winger Regan Grace is set to make his official Bath Rugby debut against Bedford Blues this weekend in Round 3 of the Premiership Rugby Cup.
The 28-year-old former St Helens RL star has been out of action until now after undergoing surgery on the hamstring injury he suffered whilst on tour with Wales this summer.
Mirroring the Joseph Suaalii situation with Australia, Grace was selected by Wales despite not playing a first-class game of rugby union but unlike his Australian counterpart he is yet to be capped after an injury-plagued switch from the 13-man code.
Grace arrived at Bath from Racing 92 rehabbing an Achilles injury and only has two friendly appearances under his belt - against Gloucester and Leinster last season.
There is also a welcome return for England A centre, Max Ojomoh, who has been sidelined all season with a foot injury.
Meanwhile, Mackenzie Graham is handed his first start of the season, joining captain Ewan Richards in the second row, as Bath look to make it three wins out of three in the competition.
Latest Comments
We’re behind on player development in NZ. We still think we know it all and therefore still have amateur age systems in place we call professional because the people in it are paid.
Players like Prendergast and Finn Smith already have a few seasons at top club level under their belt and are now test players, at an age when NZ players make their debuts in SR. 21 is young now. Dan Carter was an AB at that age. Jacomb is 23 already. Never mind France, where talented young players are loaned out to clubs in lower leagues where they play men instead of boys. The ProD2 toughens you up pretty quickly. It’s where real talent goes that is too good for the espoirs (U21).
Our development is all over the place. Club, school, then back to the club, NPC, SR, ABs. Leinster is a good example. They decide how schools play, who plays and in what position. Schools play the ‘Leinster way'. French clubs have academies where kids enter as young as 12. They have clear pathways on their player development. What position(s) they play etc. Our schools are only interested in themselves.
SR clubs need the same control over schools in their catchment area as Leinster has. That would be a start.
Go to commentsI’d love to know the odds on a Western Force/ Highlanders final?
If Barrett and Ioane keep this lacklustre form up, they should not make the ABs squad. Getting outplayed by a whole team of young and inexperienced players should not win you any favours.
Go to comments