BATH wing Simon Danielli has extended his Recreation Ground contract by two years.

It caps a great week for Danielli, who was Bath's top try scorer last season, after he was named in Scotland's 50-man preliminary World Cup squad currently away training in Poland

Danielli said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my two seasons here and I'm looking forward to the next two with our new coaching structure and all the new signings.

"Already there is a positive mood amongst the lads, a real buzz of confidence, which is great. ''

Director of rugby Jack Rowell said: "He has made excellent progress since joining the club two seasons ago and, last season, took massive strides forward to cement his place in the side and finish as the club's top try-scorer.''

On a busy day, Bath also learned their first opponents in next season's European Challenge Cup and finalised a pre-season friendly.

Bath will be away to Italian side L'Aquila Rugby in the first leg of the opening round of the 2003-04 competition in which they finished runners-up last season.

The match will be played on the weekend of December 5/6/7, with the return leg a week later on Saturday, December 13.

A win will take them to a second-round meeting with either France's Colomiers or Italians Petrarca Padova.

On the friendly front, Bath will travel to Second Division Exeter Chiefs on August 30 (3pm).

Head Coach John Connolly hopes to have three other matches lined up before the Zurich Premiership season kicks off on September 14.

BATH'S youth academy coach Martin Haag has joined Bristol Shoguns as head coach.

Haag, who played 295 times for Bath in 14 years, finally hung up his boots last year after two seasons at Penzance.