Rhys Priestland© Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Wales fly-half Rhys Priestland concedes his move to Bath will not help his international prospects.

Priestland will arrive at Bath after the Rugby World Cup, if he is picked in the squad by Warren Gatland, but he may find himself behind those on dual contracts in the Wales pecking order. 'Gatland's law' sees those playing outside of Wales only picked in exceptional circumstances and with Gareth Anscombe and Dan Biggar on dual-contracts, Priestland will have to impress at Bath if he is to keep his place in Wales' matchday squad.

"I sort of knew that when I signed for Bath I would not be doing myself any favours internationally but I felt as if I needed a different challenge," Priestland said on Wales Online. "I made the decision and I have to live with that now. It is a big decision but when I met them at Bath and spoke with them and they told me what their plans were on and off the field I knew I wanted to play for them.

"I can't see into the future and what it means to me internationally although I want to play for Wales. It's better if you are playing in Wales because they get more access. But if I am playing well there who knows? I am not sure what the situation is in terms of these new deals they have signed."

Priestland won't have it easy to get into Bath's starting XV next term as they have George Ford and Ollie Devoto as fly-half options. But Priestland is looking forward to playing alongside his old Scarlets team-mate Dominic Day and also picked the brains of another Wales international about life at Bath before agreeing to the move.

"I am looking forward to be going to Bath," added Priestland. I went to meet their people and I was so impressed there and I knew straightaway that was the team I wanted to play for.

"I am very good friends with Dominic Day and I used to play with. He spoke very highly of the club even before I met with them. I asked Paul James as well and he raved about the place when he came into Wales camps. So they were two great recommendations."