Bath announces five new signings for next season, featuring England international and ex-Lion

The high-profile additions underscore the club’s clear intent to strengthen its squad and push for top honours in the Premiership. However, the scale of the recruitment drive has caught the attention of supporters, many of whom are openly wondering how Bath is managing such an ambitious rebuild within the constraints of the league’s salary cap.

While there’s no suggestion of wrongdoing, the volume and calibre of signings have naturally led to curiosity about how the club is structuring its deals and staying compliant with financial regulations.

As anticipation builds for the new season, Bath’s transfer activity continues to be a major talking point—not just for what it means on the pitch, but for the broader implications off it

Bath have secured the signing of Scotland international Chris Harris from Gloucester on a one-year contract for the 2025-26 season.

The experienced centre, who joined Gloucester in 2019, has made 109 appearances and scored 27 tries for the Cherry and Whites.

Now 34, Harris joins Bath as injury cover for England’s Ollie Lawrence, who is expected to miss the start of the season after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during the Six Nations.

Capped 46 times by Scotland — most recently at the 2023 Rugby World Cup — Harris was also part of the 2021 British and Irish Lions squad that toured South Africa.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to join Bath and get to play with some great friends and great talent,” Harris said. “The culture translates on the pitch and I’m excited to get started.”

The versatile hooker, who has been part of Exeter Chiefs' set-up, will be swapping the West Country for Bath. A solid performer with a wealth of experience, Frost is expected to bring both leadership and raw physicality to the Bath pack.

On returning to his former club, Frost said: “I think it’s a really exciting time to be joining Bath and I’m hoping I can add my own strengths to the squad next season to help compete for trophies over the coming years.

"From a personal point, it’s exciting to be able to return to the club having gone through the academy, also to work with some great coaches who I previously worked with at Wasps.

"Whilst there is still a lot of rugby to be played at Chiefs, I’m excited for the challenge that awaits me at Bath Rugby and can’t wait to get stuck in.”

Joining Bath from South Africa’s Bulls, Bernard van der Linde is a powerhouse prop known for his scrummaging strength and work at the breakdown. His addition is seen as a big coup, with Bath looking to bolster their front row for next season’s challenges.

Van der Linde said: “As a small kid it has always been rugby all the way. There was never a thought of doing anything else in life. I remember me and my brother playing rugby in the back yard with the neighbours almost every single day after school and training my passes with my dad every time I was bored at home. 

“Things I remember from a young age is that my mum and dad have always been very supportive of me and have been to almost every game I played if it was possible. So, I can’t wait for them to come and watch their first game in Bath when the time comes.”

The Argentine fly-half/centre brings with him a bit of flair and creativity that Bath will surely want to tap into. Carreras is a player capable of making something out of nothing, and his experience in the Premiership with Gloucester is bound to stand him in good stead.

ince joining the Cherry and Whites from Jaguares in 2020, Carreras has scored 256 Premiership points including 21 tries, was voted Coaches’ Player of the Season 2022/23, and was an EPCR Challenge Cup finalist in 2024.

On starting his journey with the Blue, Black and White, he said: “I moved to the UK in 2020 in the middle of a pandemic, and I'm hugely grateful to be continuing my journey here. I’m excited about contributing to Bath over the course of the next few seasons. I want to push myself to keep improving as a player and to help the club win trophies and titles.

“Having spoken to Johann, the club is in a really exciting phase, with world-class players, coaches and the development of a new stadium. I am looking forward to the challenges ahead.”

Perhaps the most eye-catching of the bunch, Arundell is an exciting young talent who’s making waves at Racing 92. Known for his blistering pace and attacking mindset, Bath will be looking to capitalise on his speed and creativity as he transitions back to the Premiership.

Following the collapse of London Irish, Arundell moved to Racing 92 immediately after the 2023 World Cup, scoring a hat-trick on his Top 14 debut and going on to score 13 tries in 30 appearances for the Paris region-based club.

Speaking about returning to his boyhood club, Arundell said: “Joining Bath will be a very special occasion for both myself and my family. We’ve been Bath fans for generations - ever since my grandparents - and growing up I spent many years in the stands supporting the team.

"Now, to potentially have the opportunity to wear a Bath rugby shirt is incredibly exciting. The team is in a fantastic place right now, with a brilliant culture, and I’m confident we can create some amazing memories over the next few years.”

You have five minutes to name every club to have played in the Gallagher Premiership, all 28 of them, since the division was established back in 1987.

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