Matt Banahan

MATT BANAHAN, the Jersey-born Bath winger, is determined to start rebuilding the tarnished reputation of his club when he makes his England debut against the Barbarians today.

Bath had to launch an internal investigation following separate allegations linked to drug use and brawling during an end-of-season celebration.

Justin Harrison’s exit from the club with a year remaining on his contract is understood to be linked to an alleged fracas with Harlequins players in a London pub.

Only three months ago, Bath’s England prop Matt Stevens received a two-year ban for taking cocaine and quit the club before he was sacked.

Banahan (22) is not part of the Bath investigation – which has now reached the disciplinary stage – but he is acutely aware of the potential damage being done to a club he is fiercely proud to represent.

‘I am trying to maintain Bath’s name as a club to come to and to support and by doing this at the weekend hopefully I am,’ said Banahan, who will make his first senior England appearance in the non-cap international.

‘Celebrity status is a tough thing and there is pressure on people in all sports but it is how you deal with it,’ he added.

The goldfish bowl existence of life as a young, famous player in a rugby town like Bath comes with obvious challenges, particularly for a man covered in tattoos who stands 6 ft 7 in tall and weighs over 18 stone.

But as one of his club-mates said: ‘Banners is not interested in imposing himself on Bath’s social scene – he is only interested in imposing himself on The Rec. Then he will go home to walk his dogs.’

• Full interview in today’s Jersey Evening Post