Ospreys Rugby are delighted to announce a first senior contract for second row, Will Griffiths.
Griffiths, who captained the Ospreys to the 2017 WRU Regional Age-Grade title before skippering Wales U18 that summer, is the fifth youngster to commit on a senior deal, following Harri Morgan, Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, Dewi Lake and Morgan Morris.
The 20-year old former Gowerton RFC youngster, made his full Ospreys debut just before Christmas, coming off the bench against Stade Francais in the Challenge Cup. He finished his debut campaign with six appearances to his credit across Europe and the Guinness PRO14, his first start for his home Region coming in January, away to Pau.
“I’m immensely proud” Griffiths said after signing up.
“I’ve grown up in the area so to sign for the Ospreys is a proud moment and my family is very proud of it.
“I wasn’t really expecting to be involved much this season but I got a couple of chances, playing against very experienced players in front of big crowds, it was a great step up and I enjoyed it.
“There are some legends here in my position that I can learn from, they all help in training. You come in every day and learn something new from them. I’ve got to make sure I keep developing so when the senior boys go away for Welsh camp I can step in and do the same job they do.”
Rugby General Manager, Dan Griffiths, welcomed the news, saying:
“We all know that Will is a very talented footballer with outstanding leadership qualities that have seen him captain both region and country at age-grade.
“He is a real enthusiast with a fantastic attitude. He has shown a good understanding of the game and the technical detail of his roles, and made excellent progress in his first season with the senior team.
“The challenge for Will, as with most young tight five forwards, is to prepare himself physically for the rigours of professional rugby, the size and physicality of the athletes he will compete against week in, week out. I know he is focused and prepared to keep progressing.”
Along with the four youngsters on their first senior deals, 10 players have re-signed for the Ospreys ahead of next season, with Gareth Anscombe and Gareth Evans confirmed as new additions to the squad for 2019/20.
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