Sale Sharks have completed the signing of Brent Cockbain on a two-and-a-half year deal.

Cockbain joins from the Ospreys, where he had been since 2004.

Australian born, he qualified for Wales on residency grounds and won 24 caps. He was a member of the Grand Slam-winning side of 2005 and toured with the British and Irish Lions in the same year as a replacement for Danny Grewcock.

Sale head coach Kingsley Jones said, "Brent is well suited to the Guinness Premiership. He's big, tough, resilient - we need people like that in our team and I'm sure he'll bring an edge."

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