Ospreys sign Wales international scrumhalf from Scarlets

Ospreys Rugby have announce the signing of Welsh international scrum half Aled Davies.

Fresh from a successful autumn with the Wales squad, 25-year old Davies has become the second international to make the switch from the Scarlets to the Ospreys, joining his regional and national team-mate Scott Williams at the Liberty Stadium next season.

Davies, renowned for his fast, accurate passing and his rugby intellect, has signed a two-year deal that runs until the summer of 2020.

Speaking after putting pen to paper, Davies said:

"It’s been an incredibly hard decision to leave my boyhood club at the Scarlets where I’ve had a fantastic nine years at the Club and leave many good friends.

"However, having sat down a few times with Steve Tandy, it was clear that moving to the Ospreys was the correct rugby move for me and will allow me to develop further as a player. I believe the Ospreys game plan will suit my style of play and I’m very excited about trying to form a good partnership with Sam Davies, hopefully playing a big part in future success at the Ospreys.

"For now though, my focus is on the rest of the season at the Scarlets and I will be working hard to try and play a role in achieving more silverware this season."

Ospreys Head Coach, Steve Tandy, commented:

"Aled is a fantastic rugby player and a great addition to the squad for next season. We’ve spoken at length and this is a great fit for both player and region, a move that makes perfect sense all round.

"With his ability to read a game and decision making skills, combined with real physicality and one of the best passes in the game, he is a real threat and will be a huge asset to the Ospreys, competing with Tom Habberfield and the outstanding young nines we have coming through our ranks.

"He has a really bright future ahead at regional and international level and we are delighted the he sees the Ospreys as the best place to achieve his ambitions."

Still only 25, Davies has been a fixture in the Scarlets squad since 2011, making his debut in an LV= Cup clash with Leicester Tigers. He brings a wealth of regional experience to the Ospreys having already clocked up 113 appearances and nine tries to date.

He featured in a number of senior international squads prior to first pulling on a Wales jersey, in a 2016 summer tour game against Chiefs in Hamilton, New Zealand.

He had to wait another year to win his first cap, off the bench against Tonga this summer, his first start following a week later against Samoa. This autumn he has added another three caps, as a replacement against Australia and Georgia before getting the nod to start in Saturday’s win over South Africa.

Andrew Millward, Ospreys Rugby Managing Director, added:

"The addition of Aled to the squad for next season will give everybody a real boost. He is the kind of character that will help us grow as a team while constantly striving to improve his own game. He is ambitious and sees our environment as one that will allow him to achieve his goals.

"We are working extremely hard behind the scenes to strengthen our squad for next season, identifying players of the calibre of Scott and Aled who are buying into the vision that Steve has for the Ospreys. With two leading internationals already secured for next season we hope to confirm further additions in the coming weeks that will be equally exciting for everyone involved with the region."