LOCK Ashley Sweet has returned to Ebbw Vale after two seasons with the Dragons while the Eugene Cross Park outfit have snapped up full-back/fly-half Geraint Rhys Jones from the Scarlets.

Sweet earned a chance as a professional thanks to his exploits when helping the Steelmen become Premiership champions in 2016.

However, the 29-year-old’s hopes of thriving in regional rugby were derailed by injury misfortune and he was released at the end of last season after making just two appearances.

Sweet returns to Ebbw and the influential lock will combine his playing duties with the role of forwards coach under boss Greg Woods.

Jones, 30, heads to Eugene Cross Park from the Scarlets, who he joined in 2017 from the Dragons.

The Wales Sevens international has previously followed in the footsteps of his father Kingsley and younger brother Dorian by playing for the Steelmen on permit and has now made the move permanently.

Woods has built for the crucial Premiership campaign, which will feature relegation after the end of ring-fencing, by bringing in seven other players.

Up front tighthead Curtis Hicks arrives from Newbridge after impressing on permit last season and flanker Owen Young, who played in the final game of 2017/18 against Cross Keys, joins from Aberdare.

Scrum-half Matthew Flanagan joins from Llanelli, centre Paul King heads north from Newbridge and the back three is bolstered by James Gahan from Blaenavon and Dan Davies from Newbridge along with full-back/wing Luke Shore, who impressed at Ebbw Fawr Learning Community.

Leaving Ebbw are centre Srdan Majkic, who has joined Cross Keys, and fly-half Lewis Dennett, who has moved to London and will play for Richmond.