BATH have made thei second new signing during the festive period with Japan number eight Amanaki Mafi joining the club.

Mafi will arrive at the club at the end of January, once the Japanese season has concluded, with his contract running until the end of the 2015/16 season.

The back row shot to recognition during this year’s Rugby World Cup, where he played a starring role for the Brave Blossoms, scoring against Scotland and the USA.

Mafi said: “I’m really looking forward to arriving at Bath. They are a very compelling side to watch play, and I know that joining them will be the best environment for me to continue developing my game.

"I’m also looking forward to a new adventure in England. I’ve had a great time in Japan, and would like to thank everyone at NTT Shining Arc for their support.”

Bath head coach Mike Ford added: “Amanaki is a talented young player who had a great Rugby World Cup, and we’re excited to see what he can do in a Bath jersey.

“We have some very good players in our back row already, but we’re always looking to strengthen the squad, and Amanaki will give us another option in a hugely competitive position.”

Mafi's arrival follows Bath's strengthening of their back division options by signing former Leicester and London Irish player Dan Bowden.

The 29-year-old New Zealander will arrive from Super Rugby franchise Auckland Blues next month, with his arrival set to intensify speculation that Bath fly-half Rhys Priestland could be available for Wales after all this season.

It had been understood that Priestland would take an 18-month sabbatical from Test rugby, starting with the RBS 6 Nations Championship that gets under way in early February.

But the recruitment of Bowden - a fly-half or centre - suggests that Priestland could remain part of the Wales set-up, with Bath also set to be without England number 10 George Ford during the Six Nations campaign.

"Dan is a very intelligent player," Bath coach Toby Booth said. "From a 10/12 point of view, you want as many ball-players as you can.

"He is an obsessive sort of player. What I mean by that is he has a massive thirst for knowledge and thirst for the game, and he will drive people's preparation to be at the same standard as his. I think he's arriving in early January.

"We have got a lot of young backs, so the more we can fast-track their knowledge, then hopefully we can move the progression of the group that little bit better."

Asked about Priestland's situation, Booth added: "It is not the reason we have recruited Dan Bowden. We had an opportunity to specifically recruit him."