Mears agrees new Bath deal

11:02pm Wednesday 15th October 2008

England hooker Lee Mears has agreed a new four-year contract with Guinness Premiership leaders Bath.

Mears' deal follows a new three-year agreement recently penned by the west country club's South African fly-half Butch James.

Mears, 29, has spent his entire professional rugby career at the Recreation Ground, making more than 170 appearances.

He has also won 25 England caps and was part of the 2007 World Cup squad.

Mears said. "We have produced a team now that can really challenge for some silverware.

"We won the European Challenge Cup last season, and now we want to compete for the Guinness Premiership and the Heineken Cup. We really want to impose ourselves."

Bath forwards coach Mark Bakewell added: "Lee has always been a very good thrower at the lineout, and he is a very good scrummager, but his game around the park has definitely evolved.

"If you look at his performance last weekend against Toulouse, you can see he really is superb."