Banned Stevens to join Saracens in 2011

ENGLAND international Matt Stevens, pictured, is set to relaunch his rugby career with Saracens in 2011.

The former Bath prop, currently serving a two-year drugs ban from the sport, will join the Guinness Premiership club on completion of his suspension in just under a year. Saracens rugby director Brendan Venter has described the recruitment of Stevens as “a massively significant signing” for the club.

Stevens, 27, resigned from Bath last March. He had a four-year deal with the club believed to be worth around £1m (€1.14m).

Since his suspension was imposed, 32 times-capped Stevens – a member of the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour squad to New Zealand – has put his efforts into running a coffee shop in Bath, along with former England and Bath colleague Lee Mears. Stevens said: “I am looking forward to launching the next phase of my rugby career at Saracens in January next year.”