James, who has 34 caps for Wales, will link up with the Aviva Premiership club next season. James can play on both sides of the front-row, and currently plays for the Ospreys in the RaboDirect PRO12 where he has made 177 appearances for the region.

Bath have just unveiled their new five-man coaching team so James will be working with former London Irish coaches Toby Booth and Neal Hatley next season.

“I’ve been with the Opsreys since 2003 and feel that I need a new challenge to keep developing my career,” James said. “Bath is a very ambitious club and I’m excited by the prospect of being a part of that. The Aviva Premiership is also one of the toughest leagues and I can’t wait to get started.”

Bath Rugby’s CEO, Nick Blofeld, added: “Paul is a very experienced prop with a lot to offer us, both in the scrum and around the field. He has a great attitude and is a tough customer who will add considerably to our team. We are very much looking forward to him joining us.”