Newport Gwent Dragons hooker/prop Hugh Gustafson has signed a two-year deal to leave Rodney Parade for Guinness Pro12 rivals the Ospreys

The 28-year-old hooker/loosehead will return west on a two-year deal after nine seasons at Rodney Parade.

Gustafson, a former Wales Under-20s captain, signed from the Scarlets in 2007 and has made 149 appearances for the Dragons, a tally that only six players can better.

He arrived as a prop and was turned into a hooker in 2012, although he was selected as a loosehead replacement in last Friday’s 19-17 Guinness Pro12 loss to Treviso at the Stadio Monigo.

That was just his fourth appearance of the season and the affable Gustafson has had to get used to being a fringe player behind Elliot Dee, Rhys Thomas and Rhys Buckley in the pecking order at hooker and Phil Price and Boris Stankovich at loosehead.

Nonetheless, the dependable front rower has remained a big presence in the camp and helped the next generation when captaining the Dragons Premiership Select XV in the British and Irish Cup.

Gustafson will be reunited with his old housemate Dan Lydiate at the Liberty Stadium and will act as back-up for former Dragons Sam Parry as well as Wales hooker Scott Baldwin and hot prospect Scott Otten.

“I’m excited and nervous at the same time. I’ve been at the Dragons since I was 19 so it’s a new challenge for me,” he said.

“Going into an environment where there is the same pressure and expectation on you if you are a British Lion, a 100 cap regional player, or one of the young players doing so well week to week at the moment is nerve wracking but it’s a great opportunity.

“It’s a challenging environment where you have to want to be at your best in everything you do, every day.

“I’ve got a job to do with the Dragons between now and the end of the season and I’ll give that my absolute best as always but I’m looking forward to meeting up with the squad at Llandarcy for pre-season.”