The Ospreys have signed the Samoa captain, Filipo Levi. The 29-year-old lock will link up with the Heineken Cup quarter-finalists in time for their Magners League game against Connacht on 22 February.

Levi signs from the Japanese side Ricoh Black Rams, the Ospreys having made their move as Ian Gough and Alun-Wyn Jones are both on Six Nations duty with Wales, while their fellow second-row forwards Ian Evans and Lyndon Bateman are injured.

Levi has played in 10 Tests for Samoa and also represented the Pacific Islands on five occasions, including their 39–13 defeat against England at Twickenham in November. Before moving to Japan in May 2007, he spent five years with the New Zealand Super 14 side Otago Highlanders.

Ospreys' head coach, Sean Holley, said: "We have been looking at the possibility of bringing Filipo to the Liberty Stadium for quite some time, so it is great news that we have been able to secure his signature.

"He increases the options available to us as we look to compete on all three fronts [Heineken Cup, Magners League and EDF Energy Cup] over the next few months."