David Sisi is relishing the challenge of breaking into Bath RFC’s first team.

The back-row star from Totton has moved up the A36 to Bath, having signed before winning the Junior World Championship with England in France last month.

Sisi made 13 first-team appearances for London Irish before his last season at the Madejski Stadium was ruined by a long-term hamstring injury.

But he is high on confidence after helping to inspire last month’s 23-15 JWC final win against Wales Under-20s – having come on at 15-3 down.

Now he is preparing to compete for a first-team place at The Recreation Ground alongside the likes of Carl Fearns and Springbok Francis Louw.

“I’m hugely excited,” said the 20 year-old, who first played rugby at Hounsdown School and at Tottonians RFC.

“Neal Hatley (Bath’s forwards coach) gave me my debut at Irish and I’ll be playing with a lot of young players I know.

“But I’m under no illusions. Carl Fearns is on the verge of the England side and Francois Louw is also in the starting back row, both unbelievable players who I’ll be looking to learn off.”

Sisi was speaking a few hours before Fearns made headlines for the wrong reasons after punching former Wales star Gavin Henson, another new Bath arrival, in one of the city’s pubs.

“It’s a new set-up there, it’ll be a huge challenge and the club will be pushing for big achievements. It’s that ambition I want to buy into,” he continued.

“Coming off the back of such a huge injury, I need a fresh start. I was going a bit stale and hadn’t had the chance to show the new coaching staff at Irish what I could do.

“I’ve proved myself to guys like Hatley before and will be looking to repay the faith he’s shown in me. I just can’t wait to get down there and be among so many good young English players at a club that the town really gets behind.

“I saw someone wearing a Bath shirt in Totton recently and took that as an omen! When I went for a medical nearly everyone I saw was wearing something to do with the club, it’s in the middle of the town and that’s something I’ve never experienced before, having been based at Sunbury and then Reading with Irish.

“I’ve played at The Rec a few times and am looking forward to playing in front of a very traditional rugby crowd. The Rec’s an awesome place in a beautiful city, the club’s hugely ambitious and has the backing of the fans so it’s a really good opportunity for me.

“I want to be settled at a club and Bath ticks all the boxes.”

David Sisi looks back on England’s Junior World Championship success in this week's Sports Pink