Injury-prone Stormers loose forward Nick Koster is on the verge of joining Springbok flank Francois Louw at Bath in England.

WP Rugby Managing Director Rob Wagner confirmed to the website that there has been a "request" from the English Premiership club to obtain the services of the 23-year-old.

His contract with the Cape Town franchise expires in October 2013, but he looks set to join his former Stormers teammate, Louw, at the Recreation Ground.

"We are considering the request," Wagner said, adding: "Suggestions that he has already signed is premature."

Koster is currently sidelined, having aggravated a long-standing knee injury during the Super Rugby season, will effective be replaced by Lions import Michael Rhodes.

As this website reported earlier, Rhodes and Springbok prop Patric Cilliers will have been released by the Lions and will join the Stormers in 2013.

Köster, who can play flank or No.8 and has featured on the wing as well, made his Currie Cup debut for Western Province at the age of 19.

In 2008 he was picked on the bench for the Barbarians against Australia at Wembley.

He made his Super 14 debut for the Stormers in 2009, playing on the wing, but suffered a knee injury against the Lions at Newlands which put him out of action for the rest of the year.

His return to the top flight was off the bench against the Griquas in August 2010.

However, the injury continued to flare up periodically and he has not played since he returned home early from the Stormers' Australasian tour in April - when the injury flared up again.

By Jan de Koning