Scarlets have signed Wales prop Sam Wainwright for the rest of the 2022-23 season.
The 6ft 2in, 19st north Walian has joined from Saracens and will link with Dwayne Peel’s squad after the autumn internationals.
The contract is initially for the short-term, with Welsh rugby experiencing a freeze on recruitment at the top level amid the ongoing absence of a long-term deal for budgets at the professional sides.
But the three-cap Wainwright will aim to make his mark.
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The 24-year-old will link with his new team-mates ahead of the European Challenge Cup matches against Bayonne and the Toyota Cheetahs.
Scarlets have endured a challenging start to the season, with just one win from seven matches, leaving them with only Zebre below them in the United Rugby Championship table. They will hope Wainwright can add to their depth amid a belief he has promise.
Hailing from Prestatyn, the tighthead came through the ranks at Rhyl RFC before playing for RGC 1404 in the Welsh Premiership where he earned a Wales U20s call-up. A move to Saracens followed, with Wainwright making his Gallagher Premiership debut in 2019.
But his career truly achieved lift off when he received a call-up for Wales’ summer tour to South Africa, with the youngster summoned in place of the injured Leon Brown. With Tomas Francis injured for the second Test, Wainwright came onto the field as a replacement and memorably helped see Wales home to their first win over the Springboks on South African soil in the long history of matches between the countries. You can read here what Alun Wyn Jones side to him seconds before the biggest moment of the Wales rookie's career.
Two further caps have followed, with another set to follow this weekend with the affable Wainwright picked to face Georgia at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: “We are delighted to bring in Sam as part of a pool of talented young front-rowers at the club.
“With Samson (Lee) still recovering from a long-term Achilles injury, Sam will provide an extra option on the tight-head side as well as bringing his recent international experience with Wales.”
Wainwright himself said: “I’m really excited to be moving back to play my rugby in Wales and I’m really grateful for the opportunity Dwayne and everyone at Scarlets has given me to do this.
“This is a great club with a proud history. I’m looking forward to joining up and meeting all my new team-mates after I’ve finished the autumn campaign with Wales.
“I can’t wait to get stuck in and get to know everyone. Me and all my family are extremely excited and proud to be a part of such a great club.”
Scarlets general manager of rugby Jon Daniels said: “We are pleased to be able to bring Sam on board, particularly at this stage of the season when we have a testing run of fixtures, starting in South Africa, followed by Europe and the Welsh derbies.
“Sam is a player who has worked hard to achieve what he has in his career so far and we are looking forward to welcoming him to Parc y Scarlets following the conclusion of Wales’ autumn campaign.”
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