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Ben James

The raft of Welsh rugby transfer signings now done for next season

It's not been the easiest of seasons for the four Welsh sides, with a host of obstacles making recruitment for next season a tricky task.

However, that being said, the wheels are starting to turn on business - with many deals being done in recent weeks.

Here's all the confirmed moves ahead of next season...

Cardiff

Dai Young has already made moves to shape this Cardiff team into his own.

Naturally, there's been a debate on how much Cardiff will see of Taulupe Faletau and Liam Williams - given the pair will likely be involved with Wales.

But regardless, they are world-class players who will add to the side when available, while also offering experience to young players below them.

The likes of James Ratti and Jacob Beetham are only likely to benefit from having Faletau and Williams working closely with them.

The other signing, Thomas Young, will add to Cardiff's back-row riches - with the openside likely to be available more readily given he's on the fringes of Wayne Pivac's squad.

His arrival might soon result in more back-row departures - with Olly Robinson having left on loan, paving the way for a permanent departure in the summer.

Sam Moore has also left their back-row stable - leaving with immediate effect last week to join the Ospreys.

The other confirmed departures ahead of next year are Hallam Amos and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso - a youngster with huge potential who has been lost to England.

Amos has announced he'll hang his boots up at the end of this season to focus on his medical career, while coincidentally talented centre Feyi-Waboso will join up with the Wasps academy as he heads to Aston University to study medicine.

Ins: Taulupe Faletau (Bath), Thomas Young (Wasps), Liam Williams (Scarlets)

Outs: Sam Moore (Ospreys), Hallam Amos (retiring), Ben Murphy (Doncaster), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Wasps)

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Dragons

It's taken a while for the Dragons to do any business, but the cogs have started turning in recent weeks.

Four Welsh-qualified players and a fly-half capable of competing with Sam Davies is the sum of their business so far.

Bradley Roberts heads over from Ulster in order to keep up his challenge for the Welsh hooker jersey, having been a surprise call-up in the autumn.

Rhodri Jones will be hoping to improve his Test selection chances with a move from the Ospreys likely to ensure him regular time on the loose-head.

The signing of former Munster fly-half JJ Hanrahan from Clermont should mean that Davies isn't required to wear the 10 jersey virtually non-stop - which can only be a good thing for both him and the team.

And then the quickfire additions of Sean Lonsdale and Max Clark will hopefully help lift the Dragons out of their current mire - with this season going down as perhaps their worst.

Lonsdale comes as a hard-hitting lock from Exeter - where you have to possess something about you to make it as a forward - while Clark was once on Wales' radar as a midfield option.

In terms of departures, former Wales front-rows Aaron Jarvis and Richard Hibbard both hung up their boots during the season, while ex-Wales scrum-half Tavis Knoyle left Rodney Parade with immediate effect last month.

And Wales and Lions centre Jamie Roberts brought his time in Newport to an end this year, heading to Australia to join up with his partner ahead of the birth of their second child, signing for the Waratahs in the process.

Ins: Bradley Roberts (Ulster), JJ Hanrahan (Clermont), Rhodri Jones (Ospreys), Sean Lonsdale (Exeter), Max Clark (Bath),

Outs: Aaron Jarvis (retired), Richard Hibbard (retired), Tavis Knoyle (left with immediate effect), Jamie Roberts (Waratahs)

Ospreys

As of yet, it's been a slow burn for the Ospreys.

There's not been any major additions announced for next season as of yet, although Wales hooker Scott Baldwin recently returned to Swansea after leaving Worcester - signing a deal with the club until the end of next season.

Former Cardiff No. 8 Sam Moore is another who signed recently on a deal until the end of the 2022/23 season.

Otherwise, much of their business has revolved about retaining players - with Alun Wyn Jones, Adam Beard, George North, Mat Protheroe and Rhys Davies all signing extensions.

In terms of outgoings, Rhodri Jones will head to the Dragons next year, with back-row Olly Crackenll having already joined London Irish mid-season.

Part of the reason behind Baldwin's return to the Swansea.com Stadium came after hooker Ifan Phillips was forced to retire after having his leg amputated in a road traffic collision last December.

Ins: Scott Baldwin (Worcester), Sam Moore (Cardiff)

Outs: Rhodri Jones (Cardiff), Olly Cracknell (London Irish), Ifan Phillips (retired)

Scarlets

There's just the one piece of recruitment to date in Llanelli.

In fairness, it's a pretty solid piece of business - with Dwayne Peel moving fast to snap up All Black forward Vaea Fifita from Wasps. You can read about how good he is here.

Capable of playing flanker or second-row, the former Hurricanes star - who has won 11 caps for New Zealand - should add some dynamism to the Scarlets pack.

With fellow Tongan-born lock and another former Hurricane, Sam Lousi, having extended his stay in Llanelli, that could prove to be a handy second-row partnership.

Handing out new deals to Rhys Patchell and Scott Williams - while not exactly new faces - is a tidy piece of business too, with the Scarlets backline looking much more potent when both are in action.

Both of the departures to date come from the back-three.

Tom Prydie left mid-season to join Bath, while Lions full-back Liam Williams will head to Cardiff in the summer.

Ins: Vaea Fifita

Outs: Liam Williams (Cardiff), Tom Prydie (Bath)

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