Bath did not make cash offer to Stevens

Bath Rugby did not put in a firm cash offer to tempt Matt Stevensback to The Rec, it has emerged. Despite having held two informalchats with Stevens during the early stages of the disgraced prop'sban for cocaine use, the club's new chief executive Nick Blofeldsays he felt it was "too early" to put a concrete contract offer onthe table.

But Saracens were less circumspect and announced on Monday thatthey had signed the 27-year-old England international on a two-yeardeal.

Blofeld admitted to the Chronicle he was disappointed Stevens hadoverlooked the club that launched his career, while coach SteveMeehan's frustration was thinly veiled.

"I would have thought there were opportunities for Matt to comeback and make a bigger statement than just rugby," said the headcoach.

NO DEAL: Stevens - a larger-than-life personality and Bath's best-known player - plunged the club into crisis a year ago when heannounced he had tested positive for cocaine. He stood down from theclub before being banned by the game's authorities for two years.

On Monday - a year into his suspension - Durban-born Stevensconfirmed he would be joining Saracens, a club with which his SouthAfrica-based family has strong financial connections.

The Bath camp's disappointment at Stevens' decision to head eastmust be keen, particularly because just two months ago Blofeld wasopenly courting the tighthead.

In a statement on the club's website published in November,Blofeld said: "I have spoken to Matt about where he sees his futureand what he would like to do.

"We would love him to come back to us and I have made thatclear... it is clear that Matt's presence at the club has beenmissed both on and off the pitch."

Stevens For his part, Stevens said at the time that he would giveBath's interest "very serious consideration".

Speaking to the Chronicle this week after confirmation ofStevens' new deal, Blofeld said: "It's slightly disappointing butMatt has his own reasons. We wish him all the very best, to behonest, and good luck to him.

"We would have loved it for him to come back here but it's not tobe so we move on.

Describing why he hadn't made a firm offer to Stevens, Blofeld,added: "We thought it was too early. I hadn't been here that longbut I had a couple of conversations with Matt and I just wanted himto know we would love him to come back to this club.

Continued on page 111 Grewcock sees red as European campaign endsin Rec loss - See pages 108&109 Continued from page 112 "We hadn'tbeen in contact again recently so he's obviously weighed up the prosand cons and decided to go with Sarries."

While disappointed at Stevens' decision, head coach Meehan wasbullish about Bath's chances of prospering without his services.

"We've been without Matt for 12 months now and there's another 12months before he plays," he said. "Our squad will move on in thattime. We'll be looking forward to competing against Sarries whenhe's playing for them.

"Ever since I've been at Bath and beforehand every time Matt'scontract negotiations were brought up he was always linked with aLondon club, so in some respects it's not surprising at all.

"He would have made the decision for his own personal reasons,which he hasn't shared with me. That's fine, that's his right, but Iwould have thought there were opportunities to come back and make abigger statement than just rugby. But that's a difference ofopinion.

"You have to take into consideration that one of Saracens'financial backers is good friends with the Stevens family so thatcould have had a significant part to play in all of this."

Stevens, who played 120 times for Bath during his seven-yearspell at The Rec will officially join Saracens on January 19, 2011,once he completes his drugs ban.

He said: "I have many great memories and friends in Bath butthere is something special happening at Saracens and I am very eagerto be part of it."

Blofeld believes Stevens' departure "simplifies the spreadsheet"when it comes to contract negotiations and shortens the odds onDuncan Bell receiving a new contract from Bath.

"We would love Duncan to be here and I'm sure we're close to anagreement, but at this stage I'd rather not comment further," saidBlofeld. "We are in that delicate situation at the moment - it's myfirst experience of it. It's a bit of a house of cards, jugglingpeople with contracts."

Stevens signs for Saracens