Bristol have signed Alex Crockett, the former Bath captain and centre, who is currently serving a nine-month ban after refusing to take a drugs test last May, saying they had no concerns about the 28-year-old's professionalism.

Crockett, along with Michael Lipman and Andrew Higgins, was sacked by Bath for refusing to take the test after a club inquiry into alleged goings-on at an end-of-season party in London. The trio were subsequently charged by the Rugby Football Union and banned, a decision that was upheld after Crockett and Lipman appealed.

Crockett will join Bristol full-time next month and is available to play from 1 March, in time for the end of the regular season in League One and the subsequent play-offs. "We understand the circumstances surrounding Alex's exit from Bath and, after extensive conversations with him, we are full confident in his professionalism going forward," the club said in a statement.

The Bristol head coach, Paul Hull, said Crockett's availability marked an opportunity not to be wasted. "He is an outstanding player who will help us in our aim of returning to the Guinness Premiership.He will give us added experience and knowledge and I am confident we can reach our goals come the end of the season."

Crockett, who played for England at A level, said: "I have delighted to have this opportunity to restart my career. It is a chance I am determined to take and I will do everything to help Bristol achieve promotion. I have close ties with the city, having gone to school at Colston's, and I am excited about the future."

Leicester yesterday learned that Richard Blaze, their lock who was promoted to the England squad for last month's internationals, will be sidelined for up to a year after requiring a second operation on his foot. The injury restricted the 24-year-old to five starts last season and he has had more surgery because the bone had not fully healed. He will be sidelined for between nine and 12 months.

An International Rugby Board directive will make teams who drive a ball from a lineout and smuggle it back to the hindmost player in a bound group liable to concede a penalty for obstruction because the opposing side cannot make contact with the ball-carrier to form a maul.

• This article was amended on 7 December 2009. The original included Joe Maddock among the three players sacked by Bath for refusing to take a drugs test. This has been corrected.