Balshaw on verge of Biarritz move

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The Gloucester wing, who has 35 caps, is believed to have agreed a two-year contract with Biarritz.

Confirmation of the move would see 30-year-old Balshaw join an English exodus which includes Wasps trio James Haskell, Riki Flutey and Tom Palmer, while Newcastle centre Jamie Noon and Bristol scrum-half Shaun Perry have both been linked with Flutey's new club Brive.

Elsewhere, Noon's Newcastle colleague Jonny Wilkinson remains on course for a big-money switch to Toulon, whose captures for next season already include Falcons fly-half Tom May, Bristol captain Joe El Abd and Saracens forward Kris Chesney.

Balshaw, PA Sport understands, will not be only the high-profile player leaving Gloucester after their season ended with a 34-3 defeat against Wasps on Saturday.

Olly Barkley's return to his former club Bath could be confirmed today, with ex-England centre Anthony Allen poised to join Leicester and fly-half Ryan Lamb reportedly on his way to London Irish.

Barkley left Bath for Gloucester last year, but he has failed to make a significant impact at Kingsholm.

And his Recreation Ground return would be a timely one, given Bath have lost their South African fly-half Butch James probably for the rest of 2009 due to a serious knee injury.