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Welsh exodus continues as Leicester Tigers sign Nicky Smith

Nicky Smith of Ospreys is tackled by Leicester. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

Leicester Tigers have signed Ospreys and Wales loosehead prop Nicky Smith on a multi-year deal ahead of next season.

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The 29-year-old has spent the entirety of his professional career at the Ospreys, making 170 appearances to date.

With 46 caps to his name, Smith will remain eligible to represent Wales while playing in the Gallagher Premiership, although he did not feature in the Guinness Six Nations this year, where Warren Gatland’s Wales side finished bottom of the table.

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Smith has joined the growing number of Welsh players that are opting to play abroad next season. Smith’s Ospreys teammate George North is also set to join French outfit Provence next season, while Cardiff’s Rhys Carre and Tomos Williams will also make the move to the Gallagher Premiership, with the prop rejoining Saracens and the scrumhalf teaming up with Gloucester.

The Welshman still has over two months left with the Ospreys, beginning with a visit from reigning United Rugby Championship winners Munster on Friday.

After signing, Smith said: “I’m very excited to be joining Leicester Tigers next season.”

“It’s a club which is filled with history and ambition. There have been many world-class players that have worn the famous Tigers jerseys and I’m honoured to get the opportunity to play for one of the biggest clubs in the World.

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“I’m looking forward to be running out to the electric atmosphere at Mattioli Woods Welford Road”.

Leicester Tigers head coach, Dan McKellar said: “Nicky will be a quality addition to our group.”

“He’s got all the attributes we were looking for in a loosehead; powerful, excellent work rate and a thirst for set-piece so I’ve no doubt he’ll fit in nicely.

“Chatting to him and guys like Olly (Cracknell) and Tommy (Reffell) as well you can sense that he’s a good team man and someone who wants to be part of our club so we’re really pleased he’ll be joining us.”

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J
JW 4 hours ago
New report details source of Ardie Savea's All Blacks frustrations

Yeah it’s hard to be critical of Razor but of choices in his first year of the loosies he constantly played Ardie at 8. It would seem that was always the plan and that Hoskins was surplas to requirements (7, with Dalton then Cane, as was fairly happy with but understand the calls to drop Cane for his last test, along with TJ, and 6 was shared around nicely I thought) and he didn’t have the alround game of Ardie to simply overtake him at 8 (and use Ardie elsewhere). Of course he did that exact thing next year, too late for HS. Then last year 7 was fine if though the same problem was brought about by using Ardie (always leaves a component of a back three missing) there so often stopping Dalton from getting opportunities. At 6 Parker just had one or two too many games for me but 8 was shuffled around nicely, even if I don’t know why Lakai was thought to be the key there.

Of course a lot of rotation was brought about by, you guesed it, injury, still. Now to be fair to Razor, in reality we have no idea if he had to manage Ardie this way, based on NZRs desires with his contract (we have seen them move heaven and earth to retain him), and if he benched him often whether that would have caused him to leave or not. Or even that Hoskins would have accepted a jersey unless it was with a single digit on it, and a regular pick, as he had had to work his way back to the team without a big bump in his contract (of loosing AB selection early on) of other people his standing, so he also might have still put his family and therefor more over the jersey.



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