Cardiff Blues can confirm they have signed a further three players for next season.
Following the capture of Props Gary Powell and TaufaÂ’ao Filise, the latest signings Ben Blair, Scott Morgan and Mosese Luveitasau will all join the Arms Park in the summer as the Blues aim to build on the progress they have made this year.
Current Highlanders fullback Ben Blair is a fast, creative player who was previously a regular for Canterbury and the Crusaders. He played six games for the All Blacks in 2001-02 and was selected for the 2003 Rugby World Cup but a serious neck injury forced him out of the competition without playing. Known as a prodigious points scorer, Blair is an outstanding goal-kicker and was drafted into the Highlanders team during 2005.
Blair first came to prominence with the New Zealand under-21s, scoring 36 points in the team's 71-5 demolition of South Africa in the 2000 international under-21 tournament final. His first senior call-up for his country was on the New Zealand A tour of Europe in 2000 where he posted 27 points against Romania at Bucharest and the following year he bagged 37 points on his debut for the All Blacks (including three tries) against Ireland A at Ravenhill. He made his international Test debut the same year against Scotland in Murrayfield and played his last Test in the Millennium Stadium in November 2002 when New Zealand defeated Wales by 43 point to 17.
Mosese Luveitasau is a hard tackling Fijian winger who made his international debut against Samoa in July 2005. He has been capped five times for Fiji scoring three tries. Welsh rugby supporters had a chance to see him in action when Wales narrowly defeated Fiji in November 2005. The speedster not only has plenty of acceleration, he is also well known for his physical, Polynesian approach to the tackle.
Cardiff Blues have also signed Leeds Tykes back row forward Scott Morgan. Adept at playing in the back row or second row, Morgan won the Powergen Cup with Leeds in 2005. Originally from Neath, Morgan had spells with Bristol and Llanelli before joining Leeds Tykes in May 2003 and making his debut against Bath in September that year. A former Wales U21 international Scott studied at University of Glamorgan earlier in his career and gained a degree in Sports Science
Cardiff Blues Chief Executive Robert Norster commented.
"There has been a real and steady progression in our performance this year which has resulted in us finishing the season as the highest placed Welsh region.
Obviously, we need to consolidate but also progress beyond that point and have consequently analysed our squad with a view to targeting players who can strengthen the team. With the addition of these new signings combined to those already announced and supported by the significant number of quality, young players progressing into the professional environment from our Academy, we can look forward to the new season with real confidence."
Ben Blair
Born: 26/03/1979 in Westport, NZ
Weight: 84kg
Height: 1.75cm
Mosese Luveitasau Yabakitini
Born: 23/ 03/1980 in Suva, Fiji
Height: 1.78cm
Weight: 84kg
Scott Morgan
Born: 10/17/1978 in Neath, Wales
Weight: 110kg
Height: 2.00 m