Cardiff have added further strength at scrum-half with the signing of South African Johan Mulder.
The 24-year-old arrives from Emirates Lions and spent time training with the Blue and Blacks in South Africa last season.
But he will now link up with the club formally, signing a long-term contract at the Arms Park to compete with fellow new signing Aled Davies and new Wales cap Ellis Bevan.
Cardiff Rugby head coach Matt Sherratt said: “Johan is someone we have been tracking for some time and he impressed us when he helped us out in Durban towards the end of last season.
“From initially looking at his footage, I could see straight away that he was a Cardiff-type player. He has an attacking mind-set and is good in unstructured play, while he is similar to Tinus de Beer defensively.
“Then from spending time with him in South Africa, you could quickly see he was a good professional and person who would add to our environment.
“He was one of the leading players in the Currie Cup, with a reputation for his attacking prowess and he now arrives in Cardiff with a point to prove.
“We now have a really competitive group of scrum-halves, who will drive each other to greater heights while also offering us different playing styles.”
Mulder came through the ranks at the Vodacom Bulls but with opportunities limited moved to the Griquas in the Currie Cup.
He made 25 appearances in two seasons, establishing himself as a potent attacking weapon, and joined the Lions on a short-term deal last year.
Mulder said: “I’m excited and really honoured to join Cardiff. It is a famous club with such a rich history and I hope to wear the jersey with pride and do my bit to add to that legacy.
“There is a lot of strong competition at scrum-half, which is great for everyone as it will push us all to improve and work hard to earn our spot. I’m really looking forward to that challenge.
“I was fortunate to meet a lot of the boys and coaches when I trained with the squad in South Africa last year, and it is great to finally be here at the Arms Park. Now I am just really looking forward to getting stuck into pre-season training and kicking off the 2024-25 campaign.”