Bearman (centre) with Newport Gwent Dragons against Scarlets during the LV Anglo Welsh Cup
The Ospreys are delighted to confirm the signing of back-row Joe Bearman from Newport Gwent Dragons on a two-year deal. Newquay born but Welsh qualified through residence, Bearman has put pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at the region until the end of the 2012/13 season.
Capable of playing at blindside or number eight, Bearman joins the Ospreys after five years at the Dragons, where he has scored seven tries in 72 appearances prior to their game against Leinster yesterday. A huge favourite at Rodney Parade, he has a reputation as a powerful ball carrier and strong runner.
Prior to signing for the Dragons, he spent a number of seasons at Cornish Pirates, captaining them for two, as they climbed the English league structure to become the first club from the county to reach National League One (now the Championship).
Speaking about the move to the Ospreys, Bearman commented: “I’m really looking forward to linking up with the Ospreys, this is an excellent opportunity for me to play top level rugby that I couldn’t turn down. I’ve enjoyed five good years at the Dragons, but I felt that the time was right for a new challenge and a change of environment. There were four or five really good offers on the table but it was the Ospreys who really impressed me.
“The management at the Ospreys have a clear plan for what they want to achieve, and I really like what I’ve seen of the young talent that has been playing over the last couple of months. I’ve got a lot of experience that I can bring to this young squad, I’ve played a lot of rugby and I hope I’ll be able to give that something extra to the group, including my ball carrying ability, something all teams need. I’ve had a look around at the excellent training facilities, spoken to the coaches, and with me being settled in Wales with my girlfriend this move is the obvious one for me. I can’t wait to get my teeth into a new challenge.”
Ospreys Elite Performance Director, Andrew Hore, welcomed Joe to the region, saying: “Joe comes to us with an excellent reputation for being an honest, hard working individual, who thrives on the physical side of the game and is particularly renowned for his ability to make the hard yards with ball in hand. With his experience I’ve no doubt that he will prove to be a huge asset to the Ospreys environment, on and off the field. His signing is not just about what he brings to the team as a player, it is part of a bigger all round plan, to assist in the development of our younger players coming through. Joe leads by example, and displays all the characteristics that we want from our up and coming age-grade players.”