JACK REGAN HAS signed for the Ospreys following a remarkable stint in New Zealand. Regan, from Offaly, travelled to New Zealand in a bid to resurrect his playing career after being let go from Ulster in January of last year.
The second-row then moved to New Zealand and played with amatuer side Dunedin Sharks. He went on to impress in the semi-professional Mitre 10 Cup with Otago and ended up securing a training contract with the Highlanders, making his Super Rugby debut earlier this year.
And now Regan – whose father Daithí won an All-Ireland SHC medal with Offaly – will be returning closer to home after signing a three-year deal with the Ospreys.
“This is a great opportunity for me with the Ospreys and a team with such a proud history,” Regan said.
“There was interest from other clubs but the squad there is building impressive performances and wins, and you just feel is heading for success. I just want to be a part of that and play my role and add some value to the squad. I cannot wait to get to Swansea and to get going.
“This a real chance to play at the top level and learn from the quality locks, like Alun Wyn Jones, Adam Beard and Bradley Davies, at the Ospreys.
“I have watched a lot of the Ospreys games and you can see Toby is giving young players a chance, and for a young guy, that’s very exciting. He trusts all the young lads to do a job for the team, you cannot ask for more than that from a coach.
“This is just a great opportunity for me to develop as a player after my experiences with Ulster and the Highlanders.”
Regan came through the Leinster system, captaining the province’s U18 side, but wasn’t offered a full Academy spot. He subsequently pitched up at Ulster but was released after playing just one senior game for the province.
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth added: “One of the great things about Jack is his back story, he has battled through adversity to get to this stage in his career.
“His determination and resilience are massive attributes for us to utilize going forward.”
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