Quins sign prop to boost injury-hit squad

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Harlequins have added tight-head prop Matt Shields to their Premiership squad until the end of next season.

Shields, 24, has played for the Quins’ LV= Cup and A sides recently and has now signed permanently from Darlington Mowden Park.

He came through the Newcastle Falcons academy before spells with Nottingham, Plymouth and Darlington, whom he joined at the start of this season.

Shields said: “It’s a huge honour for me personally to join Harlequins. It’s a fantastic club with a great tradition and culture.

“I am looking forward to seeing this season out and building for next year working alongside Conor O’Shea, John Kingston, Tony Diprose and the other members of the coaching team to develop my game.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Quins have moved for Shields after injury ruled Will Collier out for the rest of the campaign, while Paul Doran Jones is also sidelined, leaving Kyle Sinckler as the only fit tighthead prop.

Director of Rugby O’Shea said: “We are delighted to welcome Matt on board and see him as a player with real potential who we can really develop here.

“We could easily have looked at bringing in a journeyman but we would prefer to look at the long-term potential that the player has and we wanted to start that development process now rather than wait until the summer.”

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