The Ospreys have announced the signing of Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu until the end of the season.
The vastly experienced Nayacalevu, who skippered Fiji on their way to the 2023 World Cup quarter-finals, has already agreed a deal with French side Stade Nicois for next season, but joins from Sale as injury cover for centre Owen Watkin.
The signing of the 34-year-old, who started training with the club last week, comes as Mark Jones looks to end the season in strong fashion, after a bad run of form saw him take over from Toby Booth earlier than expected.
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Since taking on the head coach role, Jones has lost just once in his six matches in charge - with the Ospreys having been narrowly defeated by Leinster in Swansea.
A second successive United Rugby Championship play-off spot is still within reach, while there's also a Challenge Cup knockout stage clash with rivals Scarlets coming up.
“It’s a real honour to be signing with the Ospreys," said Nayacalevu. "There’s some world-class talent here and I’m looking forward to playing alongside them.
“Stepping into a team where quality experience is combined with exciting potential is ideal for me at this stage of my career. I believe I can contribute heavily to the squad this season, both on the field and off it.
“Having spoken to Mark and watched the Ospreys in recent weeks, I feel the team’s style of play can offer me the perfect platform to deliver my best rugby and this played an important role in my decision.”
Nayacalevu is set for a return to France next season with the move to ProD2 struggles Stade Nicois, having previously played for Stade Francais and Toulon prior to joining Sale. Minutes have been difficult to come by for the centre this season, with just four starts for the Gallagher Premiership club.
However, he's continued to feature at Test level - captaining the Flying Fijians to their first ever win in Cardiff last November. He had previously skippered Fiji to their first ever win over England in 2023.
He'll add experience to the Ospreys backline, after Watkin suffered a serious injury at the start of the Six Nations.
The 28-year-old, who penned a new deal with the Ospreys last week, is expected to be out until the start of next season after suffering a knee injury against France in Paris at the end of January.
“It’s not often a player of Waisea’s calibre becomes available in-season," said Jones. "He brings a wealth of experience and leadership credentials with him, which can only be a good thing for our youngsters coming through.
“We feel Waisea can make an instant impact and be a real difference maker for us in Owen’s (Watkin) absence, and stands us in good stead in a season where we still have a lot to play for.”
