LONDON Welsh have signed towering second row Adam Brown from Newport Gwent Dragons.

The 6ft 6in, 18st 23-year-old came through the Academy system at the Dragons, after playing his early rugby at Bassaleg School.

While in the Dragons Academy he was duelled with Bedwas in the Welsh Premiership where he cut his teeth for four years, and then later with Newport RFC, before making his Dragons debut against Ulster at Ravenhill in February 2008.

Brown is an abrasive second row forward well suited to the demands of the modern game and is an excellent line out forward who has represented Wales at U18, U19 and U20 levels, and was part of the Wales U19 team that won the Grand Slam in 2006.

He will link up at Old Deer Park with ex-Dragons team-mates Rob and James Lewis, with whom he also lined up alongside in Wales’ 2006 U19 Grand Slam winning team.

“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity,” said Brown. “It’s a new challenge but an exciting one.

“The Championship is going to be a step up from the Welsh Premiership and it’s going to challenge my rugby abilities but hopefully it will improve my game. I think it will be good for me and my rugby career.

“I’ve played in the British & Irish Cup with Newport against the likes of Cornish Pirates and those games were a step up in intensity from the Welsh Premiership.

“You could definitely notice the increased intensity and I’m looking forward to experiencing that level of intensity week in, week out in the Championship.

“It will also be really good to meet up with James and Rob [Lewis] again and it will help me settle into he club a lot quicker.”