Thursday 5 March 2015 11:27, UK
Wasps have confirmed Charlie Davies and Ed Jackson will leave the Aviva Premiership club at the end of the season to join Newport Gwent Dragons.
Scrum half Davies has been at Wasps since 2010, while Jackson arrived at the club from London Welsh, where he worked with Dragons coach Lyn Jones.
Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: "Charlie has been with the club for five seasons, during which time he has developed from a young player straight out of the England U20s set-up into a very accomplished scrum half. He has been an important member of this squad and I have no doubt that he will go from strength to strength with Newport.
"Ed has also made a big impact since arriving at the club in 2013. In what is a very competitive back row grouping, he has been unlucky not to feature more but he has acquitted himself very well during his time in black and gold and we wish him all the best at the Dragons.
"Both players have been very valuable members of the squad in their time here. I totally understand their decision to move to try to get more regular first team rugby and I wish them both all the best in the next steps in their careers.”
Davies revealed it was a wrench leaving the club, where he has flourished working with Young, Stephen Jones and Brad Davis.
"I've loved my five years at Wasps. There have been some ups and downs but I will only look back with fondness. It's a fantastic club, and the recent developments off the field means it is secure and moving in the right direction,” Davies said.
'Difficult decision'
"I'd like to thank Dai Young for the last four years as well as Brad and Stephen for the last two years. I feel like I have developed massively under their guidance and I've really enjoyed working with them.
"I'd also like to thank the fans, especially those who stuck by us, as well as those new fans in Coventry who have made the Ricoh Arena such a great place to play. I've made friends for life at this club and it was a very difficult decision to leave, but it is the nature of the sport.
"I will join a Newport side who have a lot of young talented players and Lyn Jones is building a very good side there. It was an opportunity I couldn't turn down and I look forward to playing in the Rabo Pro Direct 12 and helping them achieve success. First there is still plenty to achieve with Wasps, with a battle at the top of the Premiership and a European quarter final to contest.”
Ed Jackson said: "I've really enjoyed my last two years at Wasps, it has been a great experience. I couldn't have been luckier with the group of players and coaches I landed with and I have loved my time in black and gold. I leave the club while it is in a great place and everything looks set to keep getting better.
"The move to Coventry has been great for everyone and I wish them the best of luck there next season. We have already had such a great reception at the Ricoh Arena and I'm looking forward to taking in as much of that as I can for the remainder of this season while we compete for the top six finish.
"I played with the Newport coaching staff while I was at London Welsh and I'm looking forward to working with them again. They have a young squad there who are starting to come together and they look like another club moving in the right direction. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the task next season, but there is obviously a lot at stake at Wasps this season, which I am fully focused on contributing to in every way that I can.”
