JAMES Ponton has left the Zurich Premiership's Leeds Tykes to join Sedgley Park's voyage of discovery into the waters of National One next season.

"He's a cracking player, he's what we needed," said player-coach Tim Fourie who played with Ponton for two seasons during his time with the Tykes.

"He's an upbeat guy who leads by example and he's as hard as nails. He'll stick his head in where other people wouldn't dare.

"He'll destroy 9s and 10s. He'll put them under pressure and let them know he is there.

"Add to that the fact he is still only 29, he's been playing Premiership rugby for the last five years and he has coaching experience and I'd be bold enough to suggest we'll probably have the best openside flanker in the league next season.

"He's a crazy presence. At training he's always challenging, trying to out-do people, he's one hell of a competitor and he wants to be the best at whatever he does.

"He's tough kid. He'll go in and scrap for the ball

"I need someone who will make the stand-off more concerned with watching out for the flanker trying to hit him instead of the ball, and Jimmy will do that."

Geordie Ponton, a powerful six foot three inch, 29-year-old flanker, arrived at Leeds from West Hartlepool in 1999 and emerged the Tykes' 'Player of the Year' in his first season.

He played originally for Tynedale before moving onto Wests in 1997, where he was an instrumental part of the team that gained promotion that year playing in 20 of their 22 games.

He followed that up by missing only five games in West's first season in the top flight before moving onto the Tykes.

In all, he played 97 times for the Tykes in five seasons at Headingley, scoring 14 tries. Last season he combined playing with a coaching role with the Tykes' Under 19s.

And there's more.

The club is also continuing negotiations with at least four other targets.

"We are looking for another second row," he said: "and we have a few irons in the fire.

"One is an ex-premiership player, the other is a guy playing back home in South Africa.

"Out of all the boys he's probably the want I want because he's a monster!

"He's played in the Currie Cup and he's played international rugby too. He has immense experience for his age and he's huge.

"We also have a stand-off coming to see us in the next few days along with another back and a flanker, so it's pretty busy right now."

Ponton started out with Tynedale before moving onto Wests in 1997, where he was an instrumental part of the team that gained promotion that year playing in 20 of their 22 games.

He followed that up by missing only five games in West's first season in the top flight before moving onto the Tykes.

In all, he played 97 times for the Tykes in five seasons at Headingley, scoring 14 tries. Last season he combined playing with a coaching role with the Tykes' Under 19s.

And there's more.

The club is also continuing negotiations with at least four other targets.

"We are looking for another second row," he said: "and we have a few more attractive irons in the fire.

"One is an ex-premiership player, the other is a guy playing back home in South Africa.

"Out of all the boys he's probably the want I want most because he's a monster!

"He's played in the Currie Cup and he's played international rugby too. He has immense experience for his age and he's huge.

"We also have a stand-off coming to see us in the next few days along with another back and a flanker, so it's pretty busy right now."