Former New Zealand prop Campbell Johnstone has joined the Ospreys until the end of the season as injury cover for Adam Jones.
The former Crusaders and Biarritz tight-head will provide much needed cover for existing tight-heads Aaron Jarvis, Jones and Joe Rees who are all ruled out with injury.
The 32-year old from Waipukurau arrives in Ospreylia in time for the busiest month of the season. The Ospreys face back-to-back Heineken Cup clashes against European heavyweights Toulouse ahead of big Christmas derby fixtures, before the focus turns back to Europe with the visit of old foes Leicester Tigers to the Liberty and a trip to Treviso.
Capped three times by New Zealand in 2005, against Fiji and the British and Irish Lions (two tests), Johnstone left Biarritz in the summer, returning to New Zealand to play for Tasman in the ITM Cup. He arrives days after Cai Griffiths returned to the club on-loan from London Irish.
"The arrival of Campbell and Cai gives us some much needed options at tight-head given the injuries we've suffered and the ongoing commitments we have to the national set-up at senior and age-grade level," said Ospreys Rugby Operations Manager, Andy Lloyd.
"Campbell will go straight into our ERC squad on his arrival, and although Cai is ineligible for the Heineken Cup having played in the Amlin Cup this season he will have a big part to play in our PRO12 defence, particularly during the Six Nations period when in addition to our senior national commitments we will also lose two tightheads to the U20 squad."
Comments
bigb6969 says...
Well stopped him from repping for some other country
Posted 04:31 09th December 2012
ferdie says...
Isograford - agree; saw the headline and thought 'who?'.
First thought was Brad Johnstone the coach who was also an AB. Not him.
Bit like Simon Mannix who has been in news lately, a one-test AB, or the well-known ex-AB who signed for Edinburgh this year, Ben Atiga had a total five min in black.
The ABs site says CJ was a Hansen gamble in 2005, didn't pay off he couldn't get a start for Crusaders either, but he's done well in his overseas ventures and good luck to him with Ospreys.
Posted 00:08 06th December 2012
Isograford says...
Wow, had almost forgotten he even was an All Black. Kinda got the usual 5-10 minute cameos the coaches were keen on in those days before being dumped...bit like Clarke Dermody.
Posted 18:29 04th December 2012
jontheref says...
Johnstone sounds a good asset.
Was surprised to see on Friday against a poor blues team.!
Posted 09:29 04th December 2012