Gloucester Rugby's brightest star Santi Carreras set to join Premiership rivals
Gloucester Rugby have been dealt a significant recruitment and retention blow with star full-back Santi Carreras set to join Bath Rugby next season.
The 53-cap Argentina international arrived at Kingsholm in 2021 and has emerged as arguably the brightest talent in the squad, with the ability to play at full-back, fly-half and winger, but GloucestershireLive understands the Cherry and Whites have been unable to reach an agreement with the out of contract back over a new deal at the club. Speaking last week, Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington labelled Carreras as ‘expensive’ and admitted the ball was in his court.
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On Saturday, Skivington added: "It's up to Santi what he does, we've put our best foot forward and that will be up to Santi. He's obviously a man in demand and certain things come with that and that's the nature of the beast."
West Country derby rivals Bath have found themselves short of options at full-back following the departure of Matt Gallagher to Benetton last summer. Tom de Glanville is the club’s primary choice at the back with Orlando Bailey and Sam Harris as back-up options and the club are understood to have seen off competition from Bristol Bears to land 26-year-old Carreras on a three-year contract.
Remarkably, top-of-the-table Bath are also understood to have tempted former season-ticket holder Henry Arundell back to England from Racing 92 ahead of the 2025/26 season in a stunning double recruitment coup.
Back at Kingsholm, Skivington currently has a number of options already in his squad vying for the 15 jersey with Wales international Josh Hathaway emerging as an exciting prospect alongside George Barton and Charlie Atkinson, however, all three players lack the combination of attacking magic and reliability of Carreras who is undoubtedly one of the stars of the Gallagher Premiership. Just this month he was nominated for the league’s player of the month award.
Skivington has already moved to strengthen his back three ahead of the 2025/26 season with a deal to bring in former London Irish winger Ben Loader from the Stormers in the bag but yet to be announced and is understood to be considering adding a top-end full-back from a Premiership rival.
