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Dave Attwood is heading for a surprise loan move to Toulon.

The Bath Rugby powerhouse has not played since the final game of last season - away to Sale Sharks - due to a chronic knee cartilage problem.

Over the past month, he has built up his fitness and taken a full part in training at Farleigh House, but his comeback game won't be for the Blue, Black and Whites.

The 30-year-old passed a medical with the three-time European champions earlier this week and, pending the completion of paperwork, he will head to the south of France until the end of the season as cover for injured lock Swan Rebbadj.

The Chronicle understands Attwood requested a spell away in order to "refresh" mentally and physically after a long and frustrating battle to get fit.

He is fully committed to seeing out the final year of his contract with Bath, which runs up to the summer of 2019. Bath Rugby will confirm the loan once contracts are completed.

(Image: Ian Johnson/ Taking Pictures (Sport) Ltd)

Attwood initially picked up his knee injury while doing lineout work on an England training camp in Portugal, before the 2016 autumn internationals.

He managed to play up to the end of that year, including in the home defeat to Exeter Chiefs on New Year’s Eve. The club's medical team decided managing the injury through treatment and rehabilitation, rather than surgery, was the best option.

After a four-month lay-off, Attwood played for 16 minutes off the bench against his old club Gloucester last April 30, then started against Sale Sharks last May 6.

That was the last the Bath faithful have seen of him in club colours. Attwood was hoping for a November comeback but it never materialised.

(Image: Getty Images)

In recent weeks, the 24-cap international has been training bot not selected for the Anglo-Welsh Cup, which has left supporters wondering why he always seemed to be a "couple of weeks away" from a comeback.

Toulon have not had a vintage season. They are currently 6th in the Top14; having won only seven matches out of 15.

They are still in the Champions Cup, however, and Attwood could be registered for their quarter-final against Munster on March 31.

Bath and Attwood are hoping he can come through the rest of the season unscathed, get plenty of games under his in a tough competition, then take a break before returning for pre-season training at Farleigh House.

(Image: Ian Johnson/Taking Pictures (Sport) Ltd)

Although it was not a factor in the loan move, there could be a byproduct of Attwood not playing for Bath this season.

Salary cap rules state that if, due to injury, a player has not played or been a replacement during a season, they can be discounted from the cap unless their club has brought in a replacement for them under the injury dispensation provisions.

James Phillips is the only lock who has arrived at Bath since last season, but he joined from Bristol on a year-long contract.