Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news
Saracens have confirmed that David Strettle will join Clermont next season after the England wing agreed a three-year contract with the Top 14 club.
Strettle, an unexpected inclusion in Stuart Lancaster's World Cup training squad, will head to France after a five-season spell at Allianz Park that ended with victory over Bath in Saturday's Aviva Premiership final.
The 31-year-old has made over 100 appearances for Saracens and departs as their leading try scorer in the Premiership.
Show all 30 1 /30Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Anthony Watson – 4 Caught by an early high tackle by Farrell and saw his Premiership final ended early due to a concussion.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Semesa Rokoduguni – 6 Showed his threatening best to leave Strettle in his dust on one occasion but failed to produce his best when in space. On another day he’d have had two tries.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Jonathan Joseph – 7 His finishing is among the best out there in the world and he utilised his pace to run by Taylor to score Bath’s only try. Wasn’t able to break the line as often as he’d liked though.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Kyle Eastmond – 5 His dropped past had a bit too much on it that allowed George in for the second try and another miscued pass gave Carl Fearns no chance of holding onto it when Bath were on the attack.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Matt Banahan – 6 Defensively sound as he was surprisingly targeted by the high ball, but unable to reproduce his semi-final heroics.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings George Ford – 6 Starved of ball to create anything of note in the first half and when the forwards supplied it in the second he came to the fore. Recovered from a huge Itoje hit to break the Sarries line and his decision making was on the most part unquestionable.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Peter Stringer – 6 His Bath farewell ended in defeat in a match that saw him playing behind a pack going backwards in the first half.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Paul James – 6 Won an early penalty but began to feel the pressure in the scrum. Replaced shortly after the break by Nick Auterac to say an unhappy farewell to Bath.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Ross Batty – 6 Lineout throwing was impeccable and scrum work was good, but given little chance to make an impact in the loose.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings David Wilson – 5 Struggled to cope with his England team-mate Mako Vunipola and conceded two first-half penalties, and was replaced by Henry Thomas soon after the break as Bath completely changed their front row early.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Stuart Hooper – 6 Left the field somewhat surprisingly in the second half when Bath were on the up. Solid in the air but made little impact on the ground, and the despair pained on his face was clear to see at the final whistle.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Dave Attwood –5 Is playing his way out of the England team after another rather anonymous display that saw him follow Hooper off the pitch a few minutes later, with Mike Ford choosing a more physical approach.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Sam Burgess – 6 Levelled Billy Vunipola with an inch-perfect tackle and let Farrell know he was lurking too, but did little with the ball bar a first-half offload to Joseph. Missed out on the chance to hold the Premiership and NRL titles at the same time.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Francois Louw – 6 Given no quarter at the breakdown as Saracens recognised his threat from the off. Grew in the game after the break once the opposite pack tired.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Leeroy Houston – 6 Has enjoyed a tremendous season but was outshone today by his opposite number.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Alex Goode – 6 Guilty of taking out Rokoduguni to give away three points and could have seen yellow but was sublime kicking from hand and relieved the pressure on Sarries.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings David Strettle – 8 Quick-thinking saw him chip the ball into his hands from a Taylor offload that led the Wyles try, and by this point he had already led one attack that saw him side-step Watson as if he wasn’t there. Will be a huge miss if he does, as expected, leave for France, but it was a glorious farewell if so.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Duncan Taylor – 7 Kept out Marcelo Bosch and fully justified his selection with an impressive showing. Worked to get into possession with his offload setting up Farrell’s try and was defensively reliable, though he was caught for pace when facing Joseph.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Brad Barritt – 7 One day he’ll play a rugby game and not be forced off a bloody mess, but until then he’ll continue to put his body on the line. Led the defence by example, as we’ve come to expect.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Chris Wyles – 8 Didn’t put a foot wrong all game and fully deserved his try that put Saracens out of reach. Strong in the air against Rokoduguni and a defensive rock out wide.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Owen Farrell - 9 Heartbreak of last season’s disallowed try quickly forgotten with neatly taken try in the corner to get Sarries on the board. Has shown in the past his ability to perform on the biggest stage, and crucial second-half penalty stemmed the tide when Bath were on the up.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Richard Wigglesworth – 6 Supplied quick ball from the ruck to get Sarries on the front foot, and his box-kicking was very good as always. Replaced by Neil De Kock after 55 minutes.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Mako Vunipola – 8 Won three penalties for Saracens at the scrum, and despite his best attempt to butcher a nailed on try, managed to offload to George in time for the hooker to feed Wyles to score. Turned up where he was need though.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Jamie George – 9 What a week and season this man has had. Capped a week that saw a first England call-up with a 40m try to stretch Sarries’ lead, and gave Stuart Lancaster – watching from the stands – serious food for thought as to who should replace Dylan Hartley in his England team.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Petrus Du Plessis – 7 Penalised early but recovered well in an enthralling battle with James. Replaced by Juan Figallo once he’d run out of gas and Bath’s replacement front-row were making their impact felt.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings George Kruis – 7 Was a force to be reckoned with in defence as he tackled anything that moved in blue and white. Superb in the air as he coped with the loss of his captain and second-row partner.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Alistair Hargreaves – 5 The Sarries skipper was knocked out in worrying circumstances after getting his head position wrong in a tackle in the build-up to George’s try. Replaced by Jackson Wray.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Maro Itoje – 7 Nearly knocked Ford into next week and showed his incredible strength in holding opponents up to win possession. Knocked the ball on in the second half, but his development is scarily rapid.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Jacques Burger – 7 Big tackle early on Rokduguni set the tone for Sarries, although you could sense the shock when Rob Webber bounced through another attempt.
Getty Images
Bath 16 Saracens 28 player ratings Billy Vunipola – 8 Enjoyed three rampaging runs through the Bath defensive line in the first period but was also sent flying backwards by Burgess. Began to fatigue in the second half but went the duration and as Sarries regained the upper hand in the pack he shone through.
Getty Images
"Something special has been happening at Saracens in the past few years and I feel very privileged to have been part of this period of success, on and off the field," Strettle said.
"We have won some famous matches and several trophies, but the bond within the squad has been incredible and it's fantastic to see this culture producing a new generation of top young players.
"I've had an amazing five years at Saracens and am now really looking forward to a new chapter in my career - playing at Clermont and testing myself in the Top 14."
Strettle has spent five seasons with Sarries (Getty Images) Both Strettle and his fellow Saracens wing Chris Ashton had been linked with a move to Clermont in recent weeks, but director of rugby Mark McCall strongly hinted after the 28-16 triumph over Bath that only the former was leaving.
Lancaster stated on Friday that he was unaware Strettle was considering his options in the Top 14 when picking him in his training squad for the World Cup.
England have a policy of not considering players based overseas and Lancaster insisted that had he known of Strettle's potential transfer, he may have chosen differently.
Lancaster did not know about Strettle's move when he selected him (Getty Images) Wasps wing Christian Wade was unlucky not to make the 50 and, to prove his point, scored a hat-trick of tries in England's 73-12 victory over the Barbarians in their non-cap international at Twickenham.
PA
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies