Wasps snap up Barnard
PA Sport
August 6, 2007

Wasps have signed highly-rated England tight-head hopeful Pat Barnard on a two-year contract.

The South Africa-born prop, a former IRB Young Player of the Year, qualifies for Brian Ashton's side through his English mother, and the 26-year-old featured for the Saxons during this year's RBS 6 Nations.

Barnard played for Northampton over the past two seasons, although a calf strain restricted him to just 15 appearances last term as the Saints were relegated from the Guinness Premiership.

Wasps forwards coach Craig Dowd said: ``His arrival means there will be some very healthy competition for places in the Wasps front row and let me make this clear - we have signed Pat as competition for Phil Vickery, not cover for him.

``That sort of competition is what we need to develop the front row at Wasps over the coming seasons.

``The likes of Leicester Tigers and Stade Francais have world class front rows, and with the players we now have on our books, we will be fast moving towards a similar position.

``In my mind, Pat is a future England tight-head prop and in his time at Northampton, he has proved himself as one of the best scrummagers in the Premiership.''

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