Bath Rugby scrum-half Neil le Roux has departed the Gallagher Premiership club with immediate effect, choosing to return to his native South Africa.
The 22-year-old joined Bath from the Bulls during the 2023/24 season, initially arriving injured and undergoing rehabilitation with Bath’s medical team. Having made his professional debut in February 2025 against Ampthill in the Premiership Rugby Cup, le Roux also scored his first try in Bath colours during that campaign.
Over his time at Bath, le Roux accumulated 16 appearances, including eight this season. He featured in the Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final, a narrow defeat to Leicester Tigers. However, with the return and rise of Bernard van der Linde, le Roux found himself slipping down the pecking order at The Rec.
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Van der Linde, another former Bulls player, has made a strong impression as a dynamic, physical scrum-half, challenging homegrown prospect Tom Carr-Smith for the key support role behind club captain Ben Spencer. Head coach Johann van Graan spoke highly of his scrum-half options: “Ben Spencer has been outstanding, returning from international duty with tremendous attitude and form. Tom Carr-Smith has seamlessly integrated with a string of starts, and Ieuan Davies is also pushing through strongly.”
On Van der Linde, van Graan added: “Bernard is a different kind of nine—a physical player who thrives on contact and brings a unique energy off the bench. Having a diverse range of qualities at nine is what we aimed for, and I’m pleased with how our squad is shaping up.”
Le Roux leaves Bath having contributed to the club’s remarkable treble-winning season in 2024/25, and his departure opens the door for fresh opportunities within the squad.