Ospreys Rugby are delighted to announce the signing of Wales and Scarlets centre, Scott Williams, on a three-year deal.
- 27-year old centre has signed a contract with the Ospreys that runs until 2021 and will link up with the region in pre-season
- Won his 50th cap for Wales on Saturday, scoring his 11th try in the game against the All Blacks
- Part of the 2012 Grand Slam and 2013 Six Nations championship squad
- Scored 21 tries in 123 appearances for the Scarlets
Described as a “significant statement of intent” the addition of the 50-cap international to the squad for next season is the first in a line of anticipated signings to be announced, with more to follow over the coming weeks.
Williams has been a key figure for both the region and nation over the last seven years. He made four appearances in Wales’ 2012 Grand Slam, scoring a late winning try against England at Twickenham, then made the same number in the following year’s Championship success.
He reached a half-century of Wales appearances in last weekend’s test match against New Zealand, a game in which he scored his 11th international try.
After making his regional debut against the Ospreys in 2010, Williams has played 123 times for the Scarlets, scoring 21 tries, helping them to the Guinness PRO12 title last season.
After committing to the Ospreys until 2021, the 27-year old from Newcastle Emlyn said:
“I hope it goes without saying that this has not been an easy decision for me, but ultimately, I feel it is a move that is the right option for me at this time in my career.
“I’ve loved every minute of my 11 years at the Scarlets. I will always be grateful to the Board, Wayne and his team, and all associated with the club, for their support over those years
“I’m now looking forward to a fresh challenge at the Ospreys. I’m excited about the their mid and long-term plans and goals, and my role there as a senior player. I hope it will allow me to continue improving and developing, both as a player and as a person, which is a great motivator for me.
“Once this weekend and the international period are complete, I’ll be back at the Scarlets determined to positively contribute to achieving our goals for this season.”
Welcoming the addition of a player who combines a physical edge with silky skills, Ospreys Head Coach, Steve Tandy, said Williams was someone who would get supporters excited:
“Scott is a quality player who has consistently delivered at the highest level of the game and would be a welcome addition to any squad. He’s someone we’ve admired for some time, a leader who has captained Wales and the Scarlets, and he’s the kind of signing that excites supporters.
“For us to secure his signature in the face of real competition is a significant statement of intent about what we are trying to do at the Ospreys and our ambition to ensure we can continue to compete at the top end.
“Everybody at the Ospreys is delighted to get this over the line and we are excited about what Scott will bring to the environment next season, on and off the field, as he starts a new chapter in his career with his best years still ahead of him.”
Managing Director, Andrew Millward, added:
“All sports team go through cycles and we’ve acknowledged that at the Ospreys, we are currently in something of a transition period. Looking ahead to next season there will be change as we look to freshen things up within the environment and this is the start of that.
“We are looking at strengthening in a number of positions and are close to securing a number of other exciting signings that will help us to kick-start the next phase of the Ospreys.
“In Scott, we’ve added a really talented player to the squad, someone who has established himself as one of the leading players in his position across the northern hemisphere, a first choice for region and country and enjoying success. It’s fantastic that next season we will see him in Ospreys colours, bringing his experience, knowledge and ability to the Liberty Stadium.”