Matt Garvey, the lock for the Aviva Premiership Rugby Football Union club the London Irish has agreed a deal to sign with their Premiership rivals Bath Rugby ahead of the new season. The 25 year old forward, who came through to the academy of The Exiles, has made a total of 82 appearances for the London club, including 16 appearances in the Aviva Premiership in the current season. He is currently an international for the England Saxons and has earned a lot of acclaim for his all action style of play.
The 25 year old will join up with Jonathan Joseph, who swapped the London Irish for The Rec in the new season as well. Mike Ford, the first team coach of Bath Rugby stated in an interview with BBC Radio Bristol that the work rate of the player is exceptional, before going on to add that at 25 years of age, he is still a young player and is extremely driven and ambitious and wants to win trophies.
He went on to state that one of the major reasons he has joined Bath Rugby is because he wants to improve as a player and become a better forward. Ford further added that Garvey was sold the concept that not only is Bath Rugby is a very historic institution, but it is also making steps in the forward direction and will make him a better player on the way.
Garvey will link up with the likes of Gary Gold, Neal Hatley as well as Toby Booth, who run the coaching set up at Bath, all of whom who left London Irish to take up the mantle at Bath Rugby last season. And Garvey stated that having known these people was also one of the main reasons for moving to Bath.