Gaijon joins Ospreys

THE Ospreys have moved to further prepare for life after Dmitri Arhip by signing Gheorghe Gajion (right), another Moldovan and one the Welsh region are styling the beast from the east.

Tom Botha has already bolstered the tight-head stocks at Llandarcy by signing on from the Cheetahs, while the former league champions have homegrown No. 3s bubbling under in Alex Jeffries and Mitchell Walsh.

But they also have high hopes for the 6ft 2in, 21st Gajion, a prop who is close to being as wide as he is tall. The 25-year-old impressed during a four-day trial and will hope to repeat the extraordinary impact made at the Ospreys by Arhip, who turned up as a relative unknown and morphed into one of the most feared props in the Guinness PRO14.

Capped 13 times by Moldova, Gajion has played for Russian premier league side Bulava Taganrog, Italian club Rovigo and French outfit Trelissac.

He said: “It’s a huge honour for me to sign for the Ospreys, who are a very big club both in European and world rugby.

“I’ve worked hard to get to this point in my career and I hope I can make my country, my family and the Ospreys supporters proud.

“With my fellow countryman and friend Dmitri leaving, I know I have big shoes to fill but I will give it 100 per cent.”

It took a fair while for Arhip to develop, so maybe a degree of patience could be needed for Gajion to adapt to higher-level rugby. But his potential clearly excites those at the Ospreys.

Rugby general manager Dan Griffiths said: “Gheorghe spent time in our environment last month and made a really positive impression on the coaches and players, so we are delighted to be able to add him to the squad.”