HEAD coach Pat Horgan is looking forward to having an Aussie influence at Ebbw Vale next season after securing a signing from ACT Brumbies.

John Williams, a 20-year-old wing/centre, was part of the academy at the Canberra-based outfit for three years and was involved in warm-up games ahead of the Super 14 season.

But Williams failed to earn a Brumbies contract and has come over to Europe on holiday, fitting in rugby at Eugene Cross Park in the meantime.

The Australian will now battle for a starting slot with the likes of James Lewis, Kristian Owen, Simon Hunt and Andrew Bevan in a Vale back line that has much more depth that this time last year.

"He's come over here to experience a different culture and we are delighted that he will be with us this season," said Horgan. "He is mainly an outside centre but can also play wing or 12.

"I'm expecting really good things from him. He has trained with us and we have seen that he has excellent balance, nice movement, a good skills level and is quick.

"I expect him to challenge the rest of the boys in the backs and that competition can only be good for us."

It has been a frustrating time for Horgan, who has seen the Steelmen's friendlies with Dunvant and Plymouth Albion fall by the wayside because of lack of numbers and poor weather respectively.

But the head coach is not worried at the prospect of going into the Premiership opener against Swansea with just this weekend's clash with Coventry as preparation.

He said: "It has been frustrating but that is not the fault of anybody. And it's a long enough season as it is and I'm sure there will be people moaning about there being too many games come Christmas.

"It's a shame we couldn't fit a conditioning game in against Plymouth, as it turned out that they trained up here rather than just heading back.

"But we don't have any problems with out fitness levels and everybody will get a run out this weekend ready to hit the ground running for Swansea."