The Ospreys have confirmed the signing of former Wallabies captain Liam Wright.
WalesOnline exclusively revealed last week that Wright was a target of the Ospreys and the Welsh club have now completed his signing in a major statement of intent.
The big blindside flanker has won six caps for Australia and captained his country against Wales in 2024. He very nearly led the Queensland Reds to victory over Warren Gatland’s side on that same tour.
Wright has not played for Australia since the summer of 2024 after a serious shoulder injury derailed his international career and could potentially represent Wales in 2027 after completing a 36-month stand down period. He will qualify for Wales ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup through his his Welsh grandfather, although the Wallabies could still be an option for him and he has not indicated whether he would accept a Wales call-up.
“I’m excited to get started with this new chapter at the Ospreys. I’ve actually got a bit of Welsh heritage, my grandfather was born in Pembroke, so I know it’s a club with a rich history and passionate supporters,” he said.
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“I had a chat with Ry (Ryan Smith) when I started to consider the move and he spoke so highly of the place and the boys that are there.
“This is a great opportunity for me to test myself in new waters and I’m looking forward to working under Mark and the rest of the coaches.
“The Reds were such an impactful club in my development as a player, it was important that the next place I chose had a strong track record of developing quality players, and the Ospreys certainly fit that bill.”
The 6ft 4in back row made 86 appearances for the Reds, with 55 of those being as captain before he took a year out of the game due to a nasty shoulder injury.
Wright has spent some time out of the game working as a backrow specialist coach with the Australian Rugby Union Academy.
The 28-year-old is a former teammate of Ospreys second-row Smith who has been described as an outstanding lineout forward and a dynamic ball carrier.
Ospreys head coach Mark Jones has put a blindside flanker who can run the lineout at the top of his shopping list and has finally got his man.
“Signing Liam is a real statement for us as a club,” said Jones.
“He’s an international quality player who we know will fit seamlessly into our group.
“We’re extremely excited about what he will bring to our game around the park and to our set piece, which has always been a significant area for us as a club.
“We believe Liam’s knowledge as a player and his experiences in Australia will also be of huge benefit to our younger back rowers, as was Ryan’s on our younger locks last season.
“He’s a real leader with all the credentials that make an Osprey and that will only help us grow as a team.”
The Ospreys have already announced the signing of Wales wing Tom Rogers from the Scarlets and Dan John from Exeter Chiefs with former Wallabies centre Lalakai Foketi a target.
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