Queensland Reds lock Smith to join Ospreys for next season

Lock Ryan Smith has made six appearances for Australia A

Queensland Reds second row Ryan Smith will join Ospreys for the 2025-26 season.

The signing of the 28-year-old will go some way to filling the gap left by Wales and British and Irish Lions lock Adam Beard, who will depart the Welsh region at the end of this season.

Smith has made 69 appearances so far for the Reds and was included in Joe Schmidt's 38-man Australia training squad last June.

Although still to make his Wallabies Test debut, the 6ft 6in lock has made six appearances for Australia A.

"Signing Ryan is a real coup for the Ospreys but it's also evidence of the progress we are making as a club," Ospreys head coach Mark Jones said.

"Ryan has all the physical attributes needed to be a top Ospreys player, and he's shown some real X-factor capabilities that we feel can have a positive influence on the all-court game we're striving to play.

"When the opportunity arises to sign a quality impact player on both sides of the ball, you have to take it, so I'm really happy the club has managed to get this one over the line.

"There's also an excellent opportunity here for our younger locks to benefit from training alongside an experienced player who comes from a different playing background, which will be a massive benefit for their development in the long-term."