Cross signs new Ospreys deal – Morgan stays at Cardiff Blues
BACK-ROWER Sam Cross has signed a two-year deal to extend his stay at the Ospreys.
He signed his first contract with the Ospreys in 2018 after establishing himself as a world-class Sevens rugby player.
Cross was part of the Team GB Sevens side in the Rio Olympics in 2016 and returned home with a silver medal.
The 27-year-old has now established himself as a 15s player at the Liberty Stadium.
Cross has played more than 100 games for the Wales Sevens team and made his senior Wales debut against Australia in 2017.
“The Ospreys gave me the chance to make the switch from Sevens to 15s and with a lot of work I feel I have made that transition and now want to kick on and establish myself as a 15s player and an Osprey,” said Cross.
“I have moved to the region, have made some good friends on and off the field, and I feel we have a young and exciting squad and am looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together.
“I have put a lot of work in here since coming in from the Sevens programme and have been gaining in experience and am nearly at 50 games for the region now.”
His re-signing follows on from the appointment of Toby Booth, as the new head coach of the Ospreys and the re-signing of Wales lock Bradley Davies and Ospreys captain Justin Tipuric in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Matthew Morgan has become the 10th player of the season to extend his stay at Cardiff Blues, after penning a new long-term deal.
The full-back joins nine teammates, as well as new recruits Sam Moore and Luke Scully, in committing his future to the Arms Park outfit.
The 27-year-old, who was part of the 2018 Challenge Cup-winning side in Bilbao, is currently sidelined with an ankle injury, which he suffered against Leicester Tigers in January.
Morgan said: “I’m really happy to get this deal over the line. Ever since arriving at Cardiff Blues back in 2016, it has really felt like home here.
“We’re a tight-knit group, and I have a lot of friends here now, and on top of that I’ve been really enjoying my rugby here.
“Up until the injury back in January, I felt like I was in good form. But now I’m fully focused on my rehab and making sure I come back from this injury stronger than ever before and help the region to be competitive in the future.
“Hopefully, if all goes well, I’ll be looking to return to action before the end of the season and will then have a full pre-season under my belt.
“It feels like we’re building something special within the culture here, and I’m really excited to be part of that.”