Australia prop Bell to join Ulster on short-term deal

By signing Australia prop Angus Bell from Waratahs on a temporary deal, Ulster have made a serious statement of intent.

The 24-year-old loose-head will take a sabbatical from December until the campaign’s 2025-26 ends.

Bell is anticipated to play a significant role in Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies’ clash with the British and Irish Lions in this summer’s Australian Test series.

Since making his 2020 debut, Bell has won 36 caps for Australia. He missed the November Test against Ireland in Dublin because of illness, but his country kicked off against England, Wales, and Scotland.

He stated on Ulster’s website, “I’m very excited to be joining Ulster Rugby later this year and experiencing the game in a different hemisphere.”

“It was really inspiring for me to play in a brand-new environment and step outside of my comfort zone.” I was more excited to join such a historic club after speaking with [Ulster general manager] Bryn Cunningham about it.

“We have always said that we would look for opportunities in the market to add players to our team who can make a big impact,” Cunningham continued, “and Angus definitely fits that bill.”

He has a good age range and is currently one of the most exciting loose-head props in rugby.

After taking a sabbatical, Bell’s contract will end in 2027, making a return to Waratahs.

Dan McKellar, the club’s head coach, described his decision to join Ulster as a “continued personal growth.”

He said, “We think the time at Ulster will be beneficial for his development on and off the field, which ultimately will help the Waratahs in the long term because he is a young man who came straight out of school into the Waratahs system.”

Bell’s arrival in Ireland in the second half of this year will continue the trend of short-term deals between southern-hemisphere players.

Jordie Barrett, a New Zealand international, joined Leinster in December, with his All Blacks team-mate Rieko Ioane expected to join at the end of 2025.

Bell’s short-term agreement was announced on the same day that Ulster “mutually consented” to the departure of New Zealand-born flyhalf Aidan Morgan.

At the end of the 2024-2019 campaign, Ulster signed South African back row Juarno Augustus from Northampton Saints, and the team also signed loose-head Andy Warwick.

When South Africa’s World Cup-winning loose-head Steven Kitshoff was brought to the province in 2022, he left after just one season. Kitshoff, however, did a major coup.