News

Falcons do deal for Ovens

July 07 2009

Newcastle have continued on their pre-season recruitment drive with the signing of Bath prop Laurence Ovens on a two-year contract.

The 23-year-old loosehead has spent the past five seasons at The Rec, having made his debut in the Heineken Cup back in 2004 before taking a loan move to Coventry during 2008.

Ovens becomes the club's sixteenth new signing of a busy summer, following the previously-announced arrivals of Gcobani Bobo, Jimmy Gopperth, Tom Biggs, James Hudson, Filipo Levi, Rob Vickerman, Alex Walker, Chris Micklewood, Josh Afu, Charlie Amesbury, Will Welch, Alex Gray, Tom Catterick, Michael Tait and Grant Shiells.

"Laurence's arrival gives us serious competition for places on both sides of the scrum," said Director of Rugby, Steve Bates.

"He is a young ambitious English player who has impressed us a great deal.

"He scrummages well, is a handful around the park and will add to the overall quality of our squad as we look forward to an exciting 2009/10 campaign."