London Welsh snap up Barkley

Having achieved its aim of bringing Premiership rugby back to Oxford and the Kassam Stadium at the first attempt these are exciting times at London Welsh and the club believes that the addition of a player of Barkley’s ability is a clear indication that it intends to be very competitive next season.
 
Having committed to playing its home games at the Kassam Stadium for the next three years, next season will see Sunday afternoons (kick-off 2:30pm) become synonymous with London Welsh (unless dictated otherwise by television).
 
Commenting on joining London Welsh, Barkley said: “I’m really looking forward to being part of what looks to be a great coaching team and a talented group of players for London Welsh’s return back to where they should be in the Aviva Premiership.
 
“There looks to be a spirit amongst the group that I can’t wait to be involved with and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in to the challenge of the Premiership with them all, and helping the club further establish itself at the Kassam Stadium and in Oxford.”
 
London Welsh head coach Justin Burnell added: “Olly has a wealth of experience, both at club and international level, and he’s exactly the type of player we’re looking for.
 
“He’s got a fantastic game understanding and his other biggest strong point is his accuracy with the ball. His goal kicking is phenomenal and we’ll need that in the Aviva Premiership.”
 
Tomorrow London Welsh will learn its European Rugby Challenge Cup opponents and further new signings are due to be announced this week, while the club’s 2014/15 Season Ticket Launch takes place at 9am on Thursday 12th June.
 
Capped 23 times by England, Barkley, 32, arrives at Welsh after a four-month spell with the Scarlets, for whom he made eight appearances after joining from French Top 14 club Grenoble in February.
 
He enjoyed a season with Racing Metro after leaving Bath in September 2012 – a move which ended Barkley’s 11-year association with the Rec, separated only by a season long spell at Gloucester in 2008/09.
 
He made his senior international debut as a 19-year-old on England’s 2001 summer Tour to North America against the United States in a 48-19 win in San Francisco. He went on to rack up 82 points for his country and was a member of England’s 2007 World Cup squad.
 
Barkley has scored 1,588 points in 181 Premiership appearances for Bath and Gloucester.
 
Also vastly experienced in European competition, Barkley has racked up 737 points in 79 appearances in the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup.