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Harlequins have announced their fourth new signing in two days with Welsh international hooker Scott Baldwin joining the Club for the 2019/20 season.
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He’s linking up with the Gallagher Premiership club after 10 years with Ospreys, where he has made over 120 appearances.
On Monday Quins announced the signings two Argentinians for the 2019/20 season, scrum-half Martin Landajo and loosehead Santiago Garcia Botta. Michele Campagnaro signing was announced earlier on Tuesday.
Baldwin, who has 34 caps for his country, said: “There is something special going on at Harlequins at the moment and I am looking forward to starting my Gallagher Premiership career there next season.
“I have met with Gussy and the staff at Harlequins and been very impressed with the winning mentality that they have installed there.
The hooker, who was part of the Ospreys’ Pro 14 winning side in 2012, added: “I am going there to win trophies and I know they have the squad and the mindset to do it.”
Head of Rugby Paul Gustard said: “Scott is an excellent signing for the Club. He has had an outstanding career for club and country so far in Wales and I am very pleased he is joining us next season.
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“We have followed him in the Pro14 and he has impressed with his attitude, his humour and all-round technical ability. We know he will be a great fit and a key member of the squad as we look to improve and fulfil our ambitions.
“He is a big man, who excels in the set-piece and is abrasive both sides of the ball around the field. He will add leadership qualities to our group and brings a wealth of experience to the squad.
“We look forward to welcoming Scott and his young family to the club.”
? NEW SIGNING | Wales international Scott Baldwin becomes the latest player to sign for Quins #COYQ
— Harlequins ? (@Harlequins) March 19, 2019
The 30-year old former Bridgend hooker has been with the Ospreys since being offered the chance to step up from the Principality Welsh Premiership at the start of 2009.
Having made his debut as a replacement against Leinster at the Liberty Stadium in March of that year, his first start came in October 2011. The 11/12 campaign was very much a breakthrough year for Baldwin as he made 13 appearances, coming off the bench in the RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final and final victories over Munster and Leinster.
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His 100th appearance was in a 21-13 European Cup win over Clermont Auvergne and he currently stands on 161 appearances, scoring nine tries and Baldwin said it was a wrench to leave the club.
“I’m really sad to be moving on from my home Region, where I have so many memories and friends, but it’s the right time for me to take up a new challenge in a new environment.
“While I’m looking forward to experiencing Premiership rugby with a great club, we’ve still got everything to play for here at the Ospreys over the last four weeks of the regular season. We have to aim to end the season on a high and I want to help the team secure a top three finish, securing Champions Cup rugby and extending the season into May.
“This will always be my home Region and I’ll always be an Ospreys fan.”
Baldwin infamously spent some times on the sidelines in 2017 after being bitten by Lion while visiting a safari in Bloemfontein ahead of the Ospreys’ Guinness Pro?14 clash with the Cheetahs.
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments