Bath have refused to sell their South Africa outside-half Butch James to the Lions for next year's Super 15 series but have not ruled out releasing the 31-year-old next summer.

"Butch is contracted to us and he is certainly with us for this season," said the Bath chief executive, Nick Blofeld. "We will discuss a potential move at the end of it. Butch is happy here and we would need a world-class outside-half to replace him."