BATH have moved to fill the void left by the departure of Sam Burgess and failed move for Taulupe Faletau by signing Scotland back row forward David Denton.

The Aviva Premiership side have paid Edinburgh a transfer fee to secure the services of the 25-year-old Zimbabwe-born number eight.

They had hoped to lure Faletau to the Rec ahead of his contract expiring in the summer but the Welsh Rugby Union denied Newport Gwent Dragons the chance to cash in, leading to Bath turning to Denton.

The west country club were also understood to have shown strong interest in Schalk Burger and Louis Picamoles in their bid to replace Burgess, who has returned to rugby league and South Sydney.

Burgess' union conversion lasted just 12 months, with the dual-code international returning to Australia after England's dismal World Cup campaign.

"We've been looking to bolster our back-row for some time now so we're very excited that David is joining us," said Bath head coach Mike Ford.

"He had an excellent World Cup especially in the quarter-final where he managed to outshine one of the best Australian back rows I've seen for a long time.

"He's going to fit in very well with the team and the way we play here."

Bath are likely to retain an interest in Faletau when the 24-year-old's deal expires at the end of the season, although the Welsh Rugby Union may put the offer of a national dual contract back on the table.