EBBW Vale have boosted their pack for the upcoming Super Rygbi Cymru season by signing Canada back rower Sion Parry.

The 25-year-old from Rhiwbina joins from Pontypridd, who will be playing in the Premiership rather than the top flight next season.

Parry, who played for Bedwas before heading for Sardis Road, became a full Canada international when he faced Tonga last summer.

Former Ebbw captain Kingsley Jones is head coach of the Canucks and has selected the back rower, whose mother is from Ontario, in his squad for the upcoming Tests against Scotland and Romania.

Parry will return from those fixtures to boost the Steelmen as they bid to build on last season’s efforts in the first year of the SRC.

Jason Strange’s men suffered double semi-final anguish in 2023/24 after being beaten by Llandovery in the last four of the Premiership Cup and then, after finishing third in the league, losing at Newport in the play-offs.

“I’m really looking forward to the season ahead with Ebbw and hopefully winning at least one piece of silverware,” said Parry. “The coaching set-up and facilities are great so I can’t wait to get started up there.”

Ebbw have also signed former Dragons academy front rower Adam Williams from Cardiff and full-back Matt Jones, who was with Bristol’s academy and played for Cinderford, Dings Crusaders and Shaftesbury Park.

Williams, who played for the Steelmen when coming through at the Dragons, said: “It’s great to come back to Ebbw. It’s a fantastic club local to my old hometown of Abergavenny that’s going to compete at the top of Super Rygbi Cymru.

“I’m really excited to get stuck in at the club. It has great values and great people behind it.”

Jones said: “The new Super Rygbi Cymru competition looks like it will be very exciting and will offer great competition. I can’t wait to get started and get to know the lads.”

The Steelmen have also announced their first batch of retained players for the coming campaign.

Captain Joe Franchi and fellow hooker Ieuan Morris, props Luke Garrett and Morgan Davies, wingers Ryan Gardner and Ewan Bowden, centres Ethan Phillips and Dom Franchi, and scrum-halves Jonathan Evans and Rory Harries.

Ebbw kick off their SRC season with a clash with Aberavon at Eugene Cross Park on September 14.