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All Blacks prop signs for Gloucester

Greg Somerville
By Cherry Picker June 25 2008
One of rugby's worst-kept secrets is out ... All Blacks prop Greg Somerville will be joining Gloucester in December, the latest New Zealand player to take part in the exodus to Europe. He has agreed a deal until the summer of 2011 and can be expected to be one of the most important signings the club has made in recent years.

Somerville can operate on either side of the front row, and with more than 50 caps to his name, his experience will be a major addition to the Glaws forward strength.
Coach Den Ryan told the club website: "The market is now making players of Greg’s experience, calibre and undoubted expertise available and once we appreciated his interest and desire to add significantly to our squad, we were thrilled to sign him.
“To have represented the All Blacks in more than 50 Test matches and be versatile to operate on either side of the scrum, means he is an outstanding acquisition for us at this stage of his career.
“With the likes of Christian Califano and Patrice Collazo leaving the club, we needed an option that could benefit us long-term and we have managed to combine experience, versatility and expertise in one package and that is fantastic for the club.”
Somerville, who is 30 and will complete his season with Canterbury Crusaders before joining Glaws, was outstanding for the All Blacks in the two recent tests against England.
He said: “I have achieved virtually everything possible in New Zealand rugby and to have represented the All Blacks will always be something very special to me.
“But this opportunity has developed and the chance to experience a new culture for myself and my family, and contribute to a side that is already right at the top of the English Premiership was an exciting opportunity to take up.
“I am looking forward to contributing to Dean Ryan’s side and prove myself in different conditions and against different opponents.
“Gloucester’s front row options are already very talented and I am looking forward to adding to that mix next season.”
Don't know what everybody else thinks, but we at Shedloads reckon this could be as spectacular a signing as Lesley Vainikolo's was last year.

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