Northampton Saints have signed former Munster hooker Andy Long on a short-term contract.
Hooker agrees short-term switch
Northampton Saints have signed former Munster hooker Andy Long on a short-term contract.
The 32-year-old, who has also played for Bath and Newcastle, has agreed a deal which will see him remain at Franklin's Gardens until the end of the 2009-10 season.
Long has two England caps to his name after featuring against Australia in 1997 and United States of America in 2001.
He now becomes the fourth England-qualified hooker at Franklin's Gardens, along with Dylan Hartley, Brett Sharman and Joe Gray.
Speaking on the signing, Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder said: "Andy will give us experienced cover in a specialist position.
"Brett Sharman and Joe Gray have played well while Dylan Hartley has been away with England, but they are both young and in the early stages of their careers.
"It is therefore a bonus to the squad to have someone like Andy around, who has played in the Guinness Premiership for a number of years as well as representative rugby.
"However he hasn't come here just to make up the numbers. Andy wants a first-team shirt and to play more Guinness Premiership rugby for Northampton Saints."
