London Welsh have augmented their scrum half resources for next seasons Championship by signing Rob Lewis from Newport Gwent Dragons.

Lewis, 21, made his Magners League debut coming off the bench for the Dragons against Munster at Musgrave Park in November 2007, before going on to make a total of 12 appearances for the Welsh region, including four in the Heineken Cup, and scoring a try in the 30-24 win over the Ospreys at Rodney Parade in December 2008.

The son of ex-Bath and Ebbw Vale star Steve Lewis, Rob took up rugby at Hereford Cathedral School. A full back to begin with, it was his father who persuaded him to switch to scrum half in his teens.

A graduate of the Dragons Academy, Lewis has gained representative honours for Wales at U18, U19 and U20 levels, and was top try scorer in the Wales U19 side that won the Grand Slam in 2006. Called in to the Wales squad in February 2008 for the IRB Sevens tournaments in Wellington and San Diego, Rob and brother James, a centre with the Dragons, became the first twins to represent Wales at senior level.

“I’m delighted to be joining London Welsh - a club with real ambition,” said Lewis. “I’ve been really impressed with the clubs training facilities and they have a real desire to break in to the Guinness Premiership.

“I’m also very pleased to be joining up again with Danny Wilson, having played under him when he was part of both the Wales Sevens and U19 set ups. So I’m very familiar with the style and standards he expects.

“The Championship will provide me with the challenge of promotion and relegation; I’ve yet to experience that challenge in my career so I’m really looking forward to being involved.”

“Rob is a young, tall, powerful scrum half who is physically a hand full with an excellent service off both hands,” said London Welsh Head Coach Danny Wilson. “He’s come up through the Welsh Academy system and we’re extremely pleased to bring him to the club, as his signing reflects our ambition for next season.”