Wales and British and Irish Lions legend Alun Wyn Jones has been linked with a shock move across the bridge with a trio of West Country giants reportedly interested in adding his services.
WalesOnline report Bath, Bristol Bears, and Gloucester are all potentially open to exploring signing the record-breaking 170-cap international lock ahead of the 2023/24 season despite the former Wales captain being 37-years-old. Age is certainly not necessarily a barrier with former Bristol star Simon Shaw playing until 39 and former All Black legend Brad Thorn hanging up his boots at 41 - locks both.
Last month the second row announced his international retirement meaning any potential future club would not have to worry about losing Jones to Wales duty during the World Cup and beyond, making his signature a more attractive prospect.
Most had expected the 12 Test British and Irish Lion to hang up his boots this summer having played for the Barbarians in a 48-42 win over the World XV at Twickenham and then featured for both sides as the BaaBaas beat Swansea RFC - where he started his career.
But speaking to The Barbarians Show podcast last week, Jones kept the door open to potentially one last hurrah at club level while closing the door on his time at Ospreys having made his debut for the Welsh region in 2005.
He said: “Whatever’s next, if something pops up, there might be something domestic. I won’t be back with the Ospreys. But if nothing does, I can be pretty happy with my innings anyway, but we will see what comes in the next few months.”
While English sides find themselves restricted by the reduced £5m baseline salary cap, both Bristol and Bath, in particular, do find themselves probably one short of lock options heading into the new campaign.
Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan was keen to secure the long-term services of Australian lock Fergus Lee-Warner, who joined the club from Worcester Warriors following their financial collapse in September, but has only managed to tie him down to a contract until November when he will return down under to play Super Rugby to play for the Waratahs.
The club were also holding talks with South African GJ van Velze about playing one more season having brought him out of retirement last summer, but the prospect of adding Jones’ experience would no doubt excite van Graan who saw former England international second row Dave Attwood retire last month to lose one of the experienced leaders in his squad.
Bristol are looking very thin on the ground at lock following the summer departure of Joe Joyce to Connacht, Sam Jeffries to Japan and release of John Hawkins and Morgan Eames. That leaves Chris Vui, Ed Holmes, Joe Batley to shoulder the majority of the workload with academy products James Dun and Joe Owen the other options.
A move to Gloucester feels the most unlikely prospect with head coach George Skivington stating his recruitment ahead of next season is essentially done and with Matias Alemanno and Freddie Clarke his first-choice pairing, although the Cherry and Whites’ second-row choices are not extensive heading into 2023/24 despite Scotland international Alex Craig set to return to the rotation after a year of injury hell.
Should London Irish go under this week as feared, former Exiles player and coach Skivington would more likely turn his attention to his former club for cut-price recruitment deals.
