Ospreys have signed three players on loan from South Africa as part of a new partnership deal with Toyota Cheetahs.
Wing Daniel Kasende, hooker Marnus van der Merwe and scrum-half Rewan Kruger have joined the Welsh region on short-term moves.
The agreement will also see Ospreys players head in the opposite direction to the Bloemfontein-based team.
Ospreys general manager Dan Griffiths said: “This is a game-changer for the player loan system.”
Congo-born Kasende, 28, has lit up the Currie Cup with his pace while front-rower van der Merwe made his United Rugby Championship (URC) debut against Ospreys in Swansea in 2018.
Scrum-half Kruger, 25, is a former South Africa Schools and Under-20s international who has emerged from behind captain and ex-Springbok Ruan Pienaar.
Ospreys have welcomed the agreement which will “help reinforce the squad throughout a challenging season”, following the departure of several leading players due to drastic budget cuts.
Griffiths added: “This partnership will provide our players with unmatched opportunities to grow and develop their skills, while experiencing rugby in a different part of the world.”
Cheetahs chief executive Ross van Reenen said: “The new player development partnership is an exciting new opportunity not only for both teams, but the sport as a whole.”
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said the original plan was to have the players in place as cover during the World Cup.
“That was the intent, but it’s taken longer, ultimately four or five weeks later than we would have liked because that would have taken some of the pressure off,” said Booth.
“The new recruits form Cheetahs have been here this week and we’ve almost doubled our numbers with the international boys coming back so it’s been nice to have some more bodies around and keen bodies.
“We have a little bit of flexibility around the arrangement so it doesn’t necessarily have to be the same players all of the time so these are effectively short-term loans which will go back, and it allows us a pool of players to jump in to and recruit if needs be.
“Obviously, there will be challenges with that, but we are trying to be as cost effective as possible.
“It’s hopefully beneficial on many counts and allows us the opportunity for example to have some plans for some of the emerging youngsters. You know how good or deliberate we are with young players.
“With them going out to South Africa to play some Currie Cup rugby, different rugby in different environments away from home, and learn about life outside of Wales, so hopefully it’s beneficial to all concerned.”
