The big hitting Tongan back row forward Hale T-Pole is set to make his debut in the Heineken Cup this season with the Ospreys.
The 28-year-old will arrive in Wales this week after agreeing a one-year deal from New Zealand Super 14 side Highlanders.
With No 8 and skipper Ryan Jones ruled out until January, Ospreys coach Lyn Jones has been forced to strengthen his squad ahead of their Euro clashes with Bourgoin, Gloucester and Ulster. T-Pole, who scored a try against England at the Rugby World Cup, he is expected to make his Ospreys debut in the EDF Energy Cup next week against Worcester Warriors.
Ospreys director of rugby Kevin Hopkins said: "Recent injuries have made it necessary for us to look for some additional resource in our back row. Hale will give us this cover through to the end of the season."
The Ospreys have already clinched the signature of New Zealand and Waikato Chiefs flanker Marty Holah and T-Pole becomes the latest big name to join the Magners League champions and joins the Wales trio Mike Phillips, Ian Gough and Mark Taylor and Holah at the Liberty Stadium.
The Ospreys have won just two of their six games at the start of the season but they recorded a 16-3 win over Munster last weekend with their Wales World Cup stars back in the squad.
