Blues re-sign Cooper from London Welsh

After it was confirmed that Dave Spelman is likely to miss the remainder of the season following a serious knee injury, the Blues moved quickly to fill the void and have been able to re-sign Cooper who left Goldington Road in 2014.

The 27-year-old was an ever present in the London Welsh front row in 2015/16 making 30 appearances in all matches, which also saw him claiming his debut try for the club in front of the Sky Sports cameras as he dived over against Bristol at Old Deer Park.

Standing at six foot and weighing 124kg, Cooper is a formidable srummager who shows an excellent turn of pace when needed.

Speaking about the signing, Blues director of rugby Mike Rayer said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to welcome Ben back to Goldington Road at this time.

“The timing and circumstances surrounding his move back here have worked out well for him and us, but obviously we are very sympathetic to the issues down at London Welsh.

“Ben has improved massively in his time at the Exiles and will add significantly to our options in the front row.

“Ben’s move has also come about due to the loss of Dave Spelman who damaged his knee in training, the upshot being that we are unlikely to see him out on the pitch again this season.

“Everyone wishes Dave a speedy recovery and we are all pleased to welcome Ben back to Goldington Road.”