Two PREM clubs let centres join Cardiff on short-term deals

Cardiff have signed centre Will Rigg and Osian Roberts on short-term loan deals amid a midfield injury crisis.

Exeter Chiefs’ Rigg, 25, will return to the Welsh capital, where he represented Cardiff Met before joining Coventry. He made the move to Sandy Park in 2024, and has gone on to make 23 appearances, scoring nine tries.

Sale Sharks’ Wales U20 representative Roberts, 20, will return to the city of his birth, having joined the Sale academy as a teenager.

Cardiff are currently without centres Mason Grady, Harri Millard, Rory Jennings and Elijah Evans, so these moves will provide options in the midfield.

After 10 months out with a knee injury, Grady made his return to action in a preseason fixture against Richmond in September. However, the 23-year-old suffered an AC joint injury in his return to action, which has since been operated on. He is now expected to return after the autumn Test window.

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Gallagher Premiership

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Exeter Chiefs

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Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “This is really good timing for us and for Will that Cardiff need a centre now.

“Will is ready to be back playing, so it’s great to be able to give him a high level of game time to get him back to match fitness. It also gives us a chance to see him back on form.

“Then, if we look to make changes in the coming weeks, we know we’ll be able to bring form players into the side. Currently, we’re only two games into the PREM season with two positive results, so we aren’t looking to make sweeping changes at the moment but as the season progresses, we will look to freshen up the team.

“So, getting as many of our players out on loan and playing week-by-week, enables them to get right up to speed and gives us all the best squad options for when we want to compete in different competitions.”