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David Denton will leave Bath Rugby this summer to join Worcester Warriors.

The shock announcement was made by the club after the Scotland international endured a season marred by injury.

The Chronicle understands the versatile back-rower was under contract for another year at the Rec before the deal was done with the Midlands club.

Since joining under Mike Ford in the winter of 2015 after Sam Burgess returned to South Sydney Rabbitohs, Denton made only 23 appearances for the Blue, Black and Whites.

The 27-year-old said: "It's been a really frustrating year for me with the injury, but on the whole I’ve had a great time with Bath.

(Image: Pete Norton/Getty Images)

"It's a great group of people at the club and I'll be sad to leave them, but at the same time I’m really excited about joining Worcester and the next phase of my career.

"Gary and the team are clearly pushing in the right direction and I want to play a part in driving the club up the Premiership table.”

Denton badly ruptured his hamstring in the first game of last season - away at Northampton Saints - and, after surgery, didn't return to action until early this year.

Once he did get back on the field he found himself behind Taulupe Faletau, Zach Mercer and Paul Grant for the number eight jersey, and the likes of Tom Ellis and latterly Matt Garvey for the blindside flank berth.

(Image: Artur Lesniak)

Director of rugby Todd Blackadder said: "Dave is a quality player and his injury has meant that he has not had as much game time as he’d have liked this season.

"I’ve no doubt he’ll be a great addition to the squad at Worcester and we wish him all the best."

Bath have signed up Grant, who arrived from Otago last November, to a new deal but Blackadder also aims to bring in six or seven new faces this summer.

Ex-Bath boss Gold said of his new signing: "David is a powerful athlete who will add more firepower to our back row.





"He is a strong ball-carrier with international experience and we look forward to his arrival in the summer."

