Leeds Carnegie have revealed their eighth new signing of the summer with back row Daniel Browne, 31, joining from Bath on a two year contract.
Browne has spent the last three seasons at the Recreation Ground having previously played in the Premiership with Northampton Saints. In total he has made 65 appearances in the Premiership and has also played in the top flight in France with Grenoble.
Born in New Zealand, Browne’s father is Irish and the move to Leeds Carnegie is seen as a chance for him to press for international recognition alongside the likes of Hendre Fourie and Steve Thompson in the Yorkshire-pack.
Commenting upon signing for Leeds Carnegie, Browne said, "I am really excited about coming to Leeds Carnegie. Last year was a tough year for me because I did not get much game time and I’m really keen and excited to come here and prove that I’ve still got a lot to give and a lot to offer Leeds Carnegie this season.
"The boys have been really welcoming. I turned up a week late because I still had so much stuff to try and sort out at Bath, but the training has been super hard, which came as a bit of a shock to the system, but I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into the game and an really looking forward to the pre season and getting fit," added Browne.
The back row will have an extra incentive in the close season with the fixture list pitting his new club against his former club on the opening day of the season.
Browne added, "I made so many good friends down at Bath and they are all a really good bunch of boys, but on the pitch it counts for nothing and everyone is as competitive as everyone else and, if I’m involved in that first game, I will do everything to help Leeds Carnegie to push and try and get a win.
"You have got to aim for the top. We have made some really good signings in the off season and there are some good boys coming in and I think Neil Back and Andy Key have kept a really good core of players that have started to find their feet in the Premiership.
"I think after the way Leeds finished last season, we can build on that and I am excited to be part of that. I think we can push for a Heineken Cup place at the very least and anything after that is a bonus," added Browne.
Head Coach Neil Back has welcomed the signing, he commented, "This is a fantastic acquisition for us. Daniel is a top Premiership player who is Irish qualified and has aspirations to be involved with Ireland at the World Cup.
"Hopefully we can help him achieve his and our goals during the season through successful performances for Leeds Carnegie. He is a powerful ball carrier and disruptive tackler who has already demonstrated his professionalism during his time at Bath and Northampton."
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