Dragons playmaker is set to switch to PRO12 rivals Cardiff Blues © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Jason Tovey

Tournaments/Tours: RaboDirect PRO12

Teams: Cardiff Blues | Dragons | Wales

Cardiff Blues have confirmed the signing of Newport Gwent Dragons' highly-rated playmaker Jason Tovey for next season.

Tovey, who is set to replace Connacht-bound Dan Parks for the Blues, has been a consistent Dragons performer in the fly-half role.

"I had a look around at my options, and the facilities at the Blues were one of the big factors for me deciding to join them," 22-year-old Tovey said. "Also, having the opportunity to play with the likes of Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny and Sam Warburton is, for me personally, a big step forward in my career. One of the other key things I looked for was playing Heineken Cup rugby, and hopefully I can also push for international honours."

Commenting on the signing, Cardiff Blues backs coach Gareth Baber said: "Jason has got a very good kicking game that can cause opponents problems, but over and beyond that he's a smart player. He's played a lot of his career at fullback and we see him as an attacking threat. He is a good strategist but also a threat with ball in hand.

"Jason is ambitious, with a good work ethic and one of the key reasons he wanted to join the Blues was the chance to play more Heineken Cup rugby. I'd certainly like to see Jason continue with the form that he's shown for the Dragons.

"The game does move on and the players that we have worked with over the last two or three years have been great for us, however, change is at hand and things move on. I think Jason is a big piece of that jigsaw and we want him to develop alongside a number of players that are beside him.

"I coached Jason at Dragons under 18's and Wales under 20's so obviously I got to know him and he was a stand out player at that age as well. Physically he's developed and has become a class act."