Gloucester have signed the Wales international James Hook on a three-year contract, although they still have to announce who will be heading their coaching set-up after Nigel Davies was sacked last month.
Hook, who has won 75 caps, is moving to Kingsholm from Perpignan after activating a clause in his contract following the Catalan club’s relegation from the Top 14. Gloucester signed the Scotland captain, Greig Laidlaw, in March as a potential replacement at No10 for Freddie Burns, but he has indicated he would prefer to play in his Test position of scrum-half.
Gloucester will make the announcement of Hook’s signing at Wales’s training base in the Vale of Glamorgan on Tuesday afternoon. The 28-year-old is training with the national side before their departure on Thursday to South Africa, where they will play two Tests against the Springboks.
Wales are missing a number of players, including Sam Warburton, Leigh Halfpenny and Richard Hibbard. However, Jamie Roberts, Ken Owens and Samson Lee, all of whom were injured during last Friday night’s trial match, are expected to be fit for the tour.
Owens will be contesting the starting spot at hooker with Matthew Rees, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier in the season and spent four months having treatment.
“The way Matthew has bounced back and the effort he has put in have been impressive,” said Owens. “His selection in the squad is a tribute to him and he showed at the end of the season just how good a player he is. There has always been a rivalry between us over the course of my career and it is good to have him challenging on the tour.”
In the 108 years the two countries have played each other Wales have only once beaten South Africa – in Cardiff, 15 years ago. The Springboks, who won 10 of their 12 Tests last year, losing only to New Zealand, will contest the series without their captain, Jean de Villiers. The second-row, Eben Etzebeth, will also miss out.
“We are going to be competitive in South Africa and, if we win the series, we will make history because it is something that Wales have not done in any of the Tri-nations before,” said the Wales defence coach, Shaun Edwards. “The story of the squad is the return of Matthew Rees in what is an inspirational story that brings a tear to the eye almost. He is a great example to us all.”
South Africa will warm up for the series with a match against a World XV in Cape Town on Saturday. The visitors’ squad includes the Toulon back-row Steffon Armitage, who has not been considered by England since his move to France because of the exclusion policy on players not earning their living in the Premiership.
