The Ospreys have completed the deal to bring Alex Cuthbert back to Welsh rugby.
The 31-year-old Wales international, who has helped Exeter Chiefs into Saturday's Gallagher Premiership final, has signed a one-year contract at the Liberty.
Capped 48 times, with one of his Tests seeing him feature for the Lions, the 6ft 6in, 16st 10lb wing will add to the Ospreys' backline firepower.
Read more : Alex Cuthbert names dream XV
He will leave the Chiefs this summer after three years plying his trade in England.
The expectation is that Cuthbert will want to pick up the threads of a Test career which has been on hold under Welsh rugby’s selection rule applying to exiled players who have yet to hit 60 caps. For sure, Wayne Pivac is unlikely to be disappointed the scorer of 17 Test tries is coming back into the Wales selection orbit.
Cuthbert said: “I am really buzzing about this now it’s done and I can’t wait to put that Ospreys jersey on and put my best foot forward next season.
“This is a really good opportunity to come back to Wales. Speaking to Toby I really like the direction he wants to take the team.
“I believe I can add quite a lot to the team and joining the Ospreys was just an exciting prospect and one I couldn’t turn down.
“They have world-class players already and I know Alun Wyn (Jones), Tips (Justin Tipuric) and George (North) from my time with Wales and the Lions. They have added to that list of players for the new season and, of course, my good friend Gareth Anscombe is at the Ospreys.
“Toby is building a team culture, and it’s something I know and have experienced with the Chiefs, and that is something players and everybody can use to really thrive and achieve great things with.
“I know I have to knuckle down, work hard and prove myself with my performances on the pitch.
“It’s a new chapter for me and I am really looking forward to the challenge.”
The Ospreys have moved for Cuthbert to add balance to their backline, with another powerful wide-man, North, sidelined by a knee injury. Mat Proterhoe, Luke Morgan and Keelan Giles are rated highly, but all are relatively slight players who bring different qualities to the table.
Cuthbert rolled back the years last weekend with an excellent performance for Exeter in their 40-30 Gallagher Premiership semi-final win over Sale Sharks, with the former Cardiff Blue crowning his effort with a well-taken try.
He toured Australia with the Irish Lions in 2013, claiming a touchdown in the opening Test in Brisbane.
Wales have strength in depth out wide, with Lions Liam Williams, Louis Rees-Zammit and Josh Adams available to Pivac, along with the likes of Jonah Holmes, Tom Rogers and Owen Lane.
But a fit and firing Cuthbert would merit consideration.
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Ospreys head coach Booth said: “Alex is a proven performer at the highest level and will bring with him his experience of playing Test rugby and experience with a team that has a proven winning mentality, having been Premiership and European champions in 2020.”
Cuthbert becomes the third Exeter player to sign for the Ospreys for next season, following prop Tomas Francis and hooker Elvis Taione.
Jac Morgan, Michael Collins, Jack Regan, Osian Knott and Ben Warren have all also penned deals with the Swansea-based region.
