Wednesday 28th April 10

Crusaders RL have filled their scrum-half vacancy by completing the signing of Australian utility back Jarrod Sammut.

Sammut, 23, has joined the Wrexham club on a two-and-a-half-year deal from NRL outfit Penrith Panthers, who released him from the final year of his contract.

He is due to arrive in London tomorrow morning and is set to make his Crusaders debut in Saturday’s opening match of the Magic Weekend programme at Murrayfield against Bradford Bulls.

The signing takes the Crusaders’ overseas contingent in their 28-man squad to 16, although Sammut is one of four players with EU passports courtesy of his Maltese heritage and therefore does not count on the quota.

The club were granted special dispensation to have up to 14 overseas players this year.

Sammut, who scored 118 points in 38 appearances for the Panthers, can play anywhere in the back division but will be given the vacant number seven jersey at the Crusaders, allowing Michael Witt to switch to his more familiar stand-off role.

“Jarrod is a class player with great skill and footwork,” said coach Brian Noble. “He was very highly thought of in the NRL and it is a major coup to have him here at Crusaders.

“He’s the kind of player who can change the outcome of a game and he is also a superb goalkicker.

“I think he and Michael Witt have the potential to form a very exciting half-back partnership for us here in Wrexham.”

Sammut, who missed the early part of the season with an ankle injury, made headlines in Sydney earlier this year after putting on 22lbs of muscle to his previously diminutive 11st 4lb frame.