Sale number eight Du Preez to join Bath

Sale Sharks number eight Dan du Preez will leave at the end of the season to join fellow Prem side Bath.

The 30-year-old has spent seven years with Sale, making 121 appearances and scoring 24 tries.

Du Preez joined alongside twin brother Jean Luc du Preez on an initial loan deal in 2019.

"I'm really excited to be joining Bath," he said. "It's a great club with huge ambition and incredible support behind it, and I can't wait to get started and contribute to what the squad is building."

Because of injury, Du Preez has been limited to only seven appearances for Sale this season and has started just once in the Prem.

Du Preez, who will leave alongside his other brother Rob at the end of the season, has made a total of six appearances for South Africa since making his debut in 2017.

He will take the place of Alfie Barbeary in the Bath squad, with the 25-year-old heading to Saracens in the summer.

Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson said: "Dan has been a fantastic servant to the club and I've absolutely loved working with him.

"I know I speak for everyone at Sale Sharks when I say that we're gutted he's leaving, and we're really going to miss him, on and off the pitch. I wish him all the very best for the future."