James Hook has been signed to fill the gaps at the Ospreys and will be a busy man next season, according to coach Steve Tandy.
The 31-year-old former Wales fly-half will return to his old region from Gloucester this summer, six years after he left the Liberty Stadium.
With Dan Biggar and Sam Davies in their ranks it might seem a strange move to sign another player whose primary position is No.10, but Tandy wants Hook to play there when his teammates are away with Wales and also compete for places at centre, full-back and wing.
“The beauty of James is he can, and does, play to an exceptionally high standard in so many different positions,” said Tandy.
“ There’ll definitely be a number of different roles for him within the squad.
“As an experienced international he will provide good competition and support for the two 10s, but not only that, he is capable of playing 12, 13 and 15 to the very highest level. He’s really comfortable with that, which is why he’s such a great signing for us and we’re really happy to have him here.”
Hook – whose last Wales appearance was 13 months ago against South Africa – played 107 times for his home region between 2004 and 2011, becoming the 15th Ospreys centurion four months before he moved on.
Capped 81 times by Wales he left the Ospreys for a lucrative move to Perpignan in 2011, and moved on to Gloucester three years later.
A double Grand Slam winner with Wales and his country’s fourth highest international points scorer ever, Hook’s versatility will provide depth for the Ospreys. In recent weeks, the region have been using powerful Fijian centre Josh Matavesi at outside-half whilst Biggar and Davies were away with Wales.
“For us to be able to add a player of James’ calibre to the squad is fantastic,” added Tandy.
“Having him available next season will obviously increase our strength in depth in the backline, which is crucial if we want to be successful.
“We’ve seen this season that you can never have too much depth. We’ve seen Dan and Sam away contesting for a Wales shirt over the last month and that’s likely to be the case for some time going forward.
“We know that he’s likely to be around for most of the season which is why he is such an important acquisition” stressed Tandy.
“The experience he’s gained over the last six years since he left the Ospreys, playing in England and France, is only going to benefit us.
“He’s an exceptional talent, incredibly versatile, and a goal kicker of the highest standard who has experienced big moments in big games right around the world. He’s a good character as well, with the right attitude, who will be a positive influence in the squad. Not only will his presence mean increased competition, I’m expecting his experience to rub off on those around him.
“He’s got a great skillset, we know what he can do, and he’s really competitive about coming here and playing regularly. When you look at the clubs he’s been at, the experience he’s gained, you can only learn from that. It’s like Paul James, he went away and came back a different animal. He experienced something different and returned a better rugby player.
“That’s the case with Hooky as well and the great thing is that he’s coming home with so much to offer our environment.”
