Dave Attwood will make the short move from Bristol Bears to Bath in the summer after three years at his boyhood club.
Former England international Attwood, 34, has reportedly signed a two-year contract looking to add to his 157 appearances in the blue, black and white between 2011 and 2019.
Discussing the latest signing ahead of the 2022/23 season, Bath director of rugby Hooper said: “Dave is a rare commodity in that he is a big man with a tremendous amount of Premiership and international experience.
“In those games when you need to make space and it is wet, windy and cold, in January, February, March, he is someone who has done it for a long time in the Premiership and somebody who is very keen to keep playing and knows the club, and we believe he can come back and have a big impact next season.”
Attwood, who turns 35 on Tuesday, spent eight seasons at Bath between 2011 and 2019 before moving back to his hometown club, the Bears, where he quickly established himself as Bristol’s first choice tighthead lock.
Attwood spent two years (2007-2009) with the Bristol Rugby first team squad. The 2008–09 season saw him feature more regularly in the first team, playing in the Anglo-Welsh Cup as well as the European Challenge Cup. He joined Gloucester in the summer of 2009. In February 2011, it was announced that he had agreed on a two-year deal with Bath Rugby from the beginning of the 2011–12 season.
In February 2019, it was announced that Attwood would be rejoining Bristol Bears at the start of the 2019–2020 season on a two-year deal.
Attwood represented England under 19s in the 2006 Junior World Cup, scoring against New Zealand in the semi-final. He played for England under 20 team in 2007.
He was called into the England Saxons squad to face Italy A on 9 February 2008, although he did not play in the match. He made his playing debut for the England Saxons against Ireland Wolfhounds in January 2010.
Attwood was called up to the senior England national rugby union team for the 2010 Summer tour to Australia. He played two games with the second-string squad against the Australian Barbarians but was cited at the end of the first game for stamping. This was dismissed on technicalities before being reviewed.
Attwood made his senior England debut as a replacement for Tom Palmer in the game against the New Zealand national rugby union team on 7 November 2010. He made his third appearance for England against Argentina’s national rugby union team on 8 June 2013 in a 32–3 victory for England. He captained England Saxons to a 2–0 series win away to South Africa A in 2016.
