Bath have all but admitted defeat in their pursuit of Steffon Armitage after head coach Mike Ford revealed on Tuesday that talks with Toulon over the English flanker have stalled.
Bath had hoped to sign the European Player of the Year under an English Premiership rule that allows clubs to spend up to £400,000 (500,000 euros) on players who are signed to provide injury cover.
Ford said that both Bath and 29-year-old Armitage, who will not be selected by England while he is playing in France, were happy with the deal, but talks reportedly collapsed over financial terms.
“I don’t think it’s going to happen unless high-level people come to an agreement, so we’ll pursue the other interests now,” Ford told Sky Sports.
“The move would have been fantastic for us and fantastic for England. It did get pretty close to him coming, but it’s not happened. It’s a bit of a shame really, for Steffon, Bath and England.
“Steffon was very keen on playing for his country at the (2015) World Cup and keen on playing for Bath. He thinks we’re playing some good rugby.
“He thinks his style would have fit in well. Ultimately he was happy to leave the European champions to play for England at the World Cup.
“He knew he wouldn’t walk into the England squad and would have to play very good rugby to do that.”
Armitage has two years to run on his Toulon contract.
Ford added that Bath will definitively end their interest in Armitage if he becomes cup-tied by playing for European champions Toulon in the opening round of the European Rugby Champions Cup this weekend.
“If anything is going to happen, he can’t play for Toulon in the European Cup this weekend,” Ford said.
“If he does, I wouldn’t pursue him. But at the moment it’s not going to happen.”
Trinidad and Tobago-born Armitage joined Toulon in 2011 after spending five years at London Irish. He began his professional career with Saracens.