Ireland centre Will Addison has signed a deal to return to his former club Sale Sharks at the end of the season as his injury-plagued spell with Ulster comes to an end.
The 31-year-old moved to the province in 2018 at the same time as Ireland-eligible Sale star Mike Haley joined Munster, sparking excitement between the pair.
Addison quickly represented Ireland in the end-of-year internationals, making his debut off the bench in a 54-7 win over Italy in Chicago.
Big Sale Sharks Supporters
However, injuries marred his time in Ulster and ultimately affected his progress with Ireland, so he is now set to return to Sale Sharks on a one-year deal.
Addison has made 16 appearances for Ulster this season and admits he is looking forward to pulling on a Sale jersey once his time in Northern Ireland comes to an end.
“It was really tough to leave Sale but I did it for the right reasons and I loved my time at Ulster. I played international rugby for Ireland which was a big dream of mine,” he said.
“But I remain a big Sale fan and have loved watching the club go from strength to strength over the last few years. Before I left Simon Orange told me the club was heading in a good direction and he was right.
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“It’s great to see the growing attendance at the stadium and how committed the club is to building links with the north.
“My best friends are still at Sale – Tommy Taylor was a groomsman and Josh Beaumont was an usher. I grew up at the academy with mates like Ross Harrison, Sy McIntyre and Sam James. I’ve got a little baby too so now is the right time for our family to move back.”
“But I wouldn’t move unless I felt there was a chance to win something. There are a lot of great young players here and I can’t wait to get to play with them and help develop them in any way I can.”
Sale Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson has issued a challenge to Addison ahead of his return as the versatile back-up has a huge following within the club.
“Will has a great reputation to live up to, because before I even saw or spoke to him, reports had reached me about his abilities and his character when he was here previously,” he said.
“Most of the staff here have worked with him already and they say he’s the most talented player they’ve ever worked with and one of the best guys they’ve worked with. That’s reason enough to open the door again and bring him back into the team.”
“Plus he’s proven himself physically strong now and is playing some great rugby, so it’s great that he wants to come home. He’s close to players like Tommy Taylor, Josh Beaumont and Ross Harrison so we know he will fit in perfectly.”
“But this isn’t just a fairy tale. He wants to come here because of what we’re building and what he thinks he can contribute. It’s great for us to have him and I’m excited to watch him play whatever position he’s available to play.”
Scarlets sign Max Douglas
Meanwhile, the Scarlets have announced the signing of highly-rated Australian second-row Max Douglas, who joins from Japan’s Yokohama Canon Eagles.
Douglas, who can also play in the back row, had previous spells with the Super Rugby Waratahs and Sydney’s Manly club before moving to the Japan Rugby League Division 1.
“I’m really happy to be joining the Scarlets. The club has a great history and I’m excited about the challenge of contributing to it,” he said.
“I’m hoping to bring some of the experience and learnings I’ve gained from my time in Australia and Japan to contribute to a really strong group of players.
“I can’t wait to meet all the players and staff and get started.”
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel added: “Max is a young, athletic second-row player with experience of Super Rugby and more recently the Japanese Top League.
“He is comfortable with his hands on the ball which suits the style of play we aim to play and I’m looking forward to him joining the team and being part of the Scarlets’ journey over the coming years.”
“Max is a strong addition to our forward line-up following the signings of Marnus van der Merwe and Alec Hepburn and we look forward to welcoming him to Parc i Scarlets this summer.”
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