MEET THE NEW FOREIGN LEGION...

THERE may be a few weeks left of the 2017/18 season but the regions are already hard at work, planning their squads for next term.

A number of signings have been confirmed players come and go, with some big names moving on next year.

The Scarlets are having to replace the likes of Scott Williams, Tadhg Beirne and John Barclay next year and have already moved to secured new signings.

There have also been deals at the Liberty Stadium with Dmitri Arhip heading for France and Ben John taking a sabbatical.

The Dragons and the Cardiff Blues are yet to sign any overseas players ahead of next year, with the Rodney Parade outfit focusing their efforts on capturing homegrown players that had moved to England.

As for the Blues, their recruitment drive is yet to really get going, though following the announcement of new head coach John Mulvihill, it will surely pick up in the next few weeks.

Some fairly unknown names will be arriving in Welsh over the summer, so here’s a bit more about them and what they’ll bring to the party...

Lesley Klim (Ospreys)

The speedy, versatile back arrives at the Ospreys from Namibian Currie Cup side Welwitschias via a short stint with Doncaster Knights in the Greene King IPA Championship.

Klim joined Doncaster in December and has managed two tries in six appearances for the English side, all coming at outside centre.

He broke into the Namibian national team last summer and has since scored three tries in seven matches since making his debut against Spain last June.

His ability to play centre and wing makes him very much the kind of cover that will be required during Ben John’s sabbatical.

There is promise in there but, despite how impressive his YouTube highlights may look, he’s entirely unproven at this level. Thom Botha (Ospreys)

Dmitri Arhip’s replacement has some big shoes to fill but he’s a pretty big bloke himself.

Ironically, Botha’s commendable rugby upbringing saw him spend two seasons with Montpellier – Arhip’s suspected, yet unconfirmed, destination – and played for the under-23 side without breaking into the first team.

Before his time in France, Botha played a pivotal role in the Western Province’s successful 2012 Vodacom Cup campaign, starting all but one of their matches.

Since leaving Montpellier amid a lack of opportunities, he has gone on to gain Super Rugby experience with The King and The Cheetahs.

The tight-head now has 16 Guinness PRO14 appearances to his name since the South Africans joined the formerly Celtic league at the start of the season.

He was the tight-head that mangled the Cardiff Blues’ scrum on Saturday, seeing Blues loosehead Brad Thyer sin binned and eventually earning the 88th-minute penalty try that won the Cheetahs the match.

A player of obvious quality - you don’t play for the teams and in the leagues that he has otherwise - but