Bath yesterday signed the Bradford Bulls' centre Shontayne Hape on a three-year contract, though he is unlikely to prove a replacement for Olly Barkley, who played his last game for the club in Sunday's European Challenge Cup final win over Worcester at Kingsholm, the ground he will now call home with Gloucester.

The 26-year-old New Zealander Hape has scored 83 tries in 131 matches for the Bulls but his career has three times been interrupted by serious knee injuries. Barkley filled a dual role for Bath, playing mainly at inside-centre but able to step in at outside-half, something which will not be expected of Hape.

Bath are considering a move for Bourgoin's Benjamin Boyet, a France international outside-half who has experience of playing in the midfield. The Bath head coach, Steve Meehan, said he had not signed Hape in hope, following the unsuccessful attempted conversion of Chev Walker, who returned to rugby league less than a year after signing for Bath in 2006.

"I expect Shontayne to be a success," said Meehan. "He is no stranger to the game, having a rugby background, and the experimental law variations, which are being trialled next season, will suit his skills and athleticism."

Like his close friend and fellow former Bull, the Gloucester wing Lesley Vainikolo, Hape is qualified to play for England through residency. I am very excited at the prospect of playing for one of the biggest clubs in the country," said Hape, who has won 14 caps for the Kiwis.

"I like their style of play, which suits me, and I think that will help me adapt to a new code. Les [Vainikolo] wants us to move in with him at Cheltenham until we find a house. I am thinking about it but we do not want to get on top of them because we have a five-month-old son while theirs is three months. He is my best mate off the field and he had an influence on my decision."

Bath have been linked with the All Blacks flanker Jerry Collins, who was yesterday released from his contract by New Zealand 18 months before it was due to run out. However, newly promoted Toulon, Munster or Llanelli Scarlets appear more likely destinations for the 27-year-old who has become the 10th All Black to leave the international scene since last year's World Cup.

"I am not in a hurry to make a decision and am currently unemployed," said Collins, who yesterday flew to join the Barbarians for Sunday's match against England at Twickenham. The Barbarians play Ireland at Kingsholm tonight.

"I will come back to New Zealand to play some club rugby before making a decision," he added. My passion for the All Blacks and the [Wellington] Hurricanes still burns as fiercely as ever but it is the time in between that has made me take this path. I do most of my thinking when we are not in camp and it is probably the right time for me to bow out."

The former Bath scrum-half Andy Williams has pulled out of Wales's tour to South Africa with a back injury. He is the third player in the position to become unavailable following Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel.