Bath Rugby are thrilled to announce the signing of Ireland and Ulster lock, Ryan Caldwell, on a two year contract that will see him join the club this summer.

The 25 year old, 6ft 7in forward will further bolster the Bath pack next season, complementing the recent signing of Dave Attwood in the second row, alongside the well-established Bath forwards.

Having joined Ulster on a development contract in 2003, Ryan made his debut in October 2005, and has since gone on to make 79 appearances for the Irish province.

The set piece and skills in the loose that Ryan has developed saw him win two senior caps on Ireland’s summer tour to the USA and Canada in 2009, having previously participated in two U21 Rugby World Cups and the Churchill Cup with Ireland A.

Talking about the signing, Ryan said “It has always been a huge ambition of mine to play Premiership rugby, and I am very excited by the challenge it presents. This is made even more exciting by coming to Bath Rugby. I think it is very much a Club on the verge of huge success, and I want to be a part of that. The Club are clearly ambitious, and I am glad to have been given the opportunity to play a role in the Club achieving their goals.”

Director of Rugby, Sir Ian McGeechan, commented “Ryan will be a very good addition to the Club. He has very good skills already and will develop these further as he matures. He is a big, powerful young lock, and so will create some realproblems for the opposition.”

Head Coach, Steve Meehan, said “Ryan is a very competitive character, and will fit in well with the rest of the squad here, both on and off the field. I have always been impressed with his performances for Ulster against Bath, whether that be a preseason game or Heineken Cup match.”