Reports: Banned England star set to leave club

After confirming the loss of star winger Christian Wade on Wednesday, Premiership side Wasps look set to lose England back rower Nathan Hughes.

The 27-year-old No 8 is reportedly on the verge of reaching terms to join Bristol at the end of the season.

According to The Daily Mail, Bristol have offered Hughes a deal worth around £500,000 a year. It’s expected Hughes will accept the deal unless Wasps can match the offer.

Hughes has become an international-level player with Wasps, joining the club in 2013 after four years with Auckland in New Zealand’s provincial competition.

A source close to Hughes reportedly said he has not made a decision about his future, but the lucrative offer may prove too tempting to pass up.

It has been reported that Wasps are already looking for a replacement at No 8, should Hughes decide to leave.

Bristol currently field Hughes’ former Auckland teammates Steven Luatua and Charles Piutau and are led by Pat Lam, who coached Auckland until 2008 – the year before Hughes made his debut for the side.

Hughes is currently serving a six-week suspension for punching Gloucester’s Lewis Ludlow. He was initially set to face a four-week ban but his tweet of “what a joke” saw a further two weeks tacked on.

Hughes would join fellow marquee player Christian Wade in leaving the Coventry club this season. Last week it was reported that  Wade was set to abruptly leave the club in pursuit of an American football career in the NFL.

The diminutive winger’s departure was confirmed in a joint statement with Wasps on Wednesday night. The statement spoke of his retirement on ‘confidential terms’.

Young said: “It’s very disappointing to lose a player of Wadey’s quality at this stage of the season.

“The club held numerous discussions with him to try to convince him to keep pushing forward with Wasps, but in the end it was clear this is the path he wished to go down.

“The club nevertheless wants to wish him all the best with his future career and put on record our thanks for the contribution Christian has made to Wasps.”

Wade didn’t mention a code switch, just that he had decided to step away from rugby. “I’ve decided to leave for personal reasons,” the statement read. “I would like to thank Wasps chairman Derek Richardson and Dai for their support in what has been the most difficult decision of my life.”

“Rugby has privileged and honoured me with so many wonderful memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

The winger sits third on the all-time try scoring log in the Premiership and made a lone test appearance for England in 2013.

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