London Welsh director of rugby Steve Lewis says his latest signings are a sign the club is ambitious for a Premiership return.

Winger Kristian Phillips, centre Heath Stevens and fly-half Glyn Hughes penned deals to switch to Old Deer Park in the summer as Welsh bid to return to the top flight after relegation in 2015.

Former Wales sevens star Phillips, 25, arrives from Pro 12 club the Ospreys having also turned out for the Scarlets and represented Wales at age group level.

Giant centre Stevens, 23, makes the move from Worcester Warriors and is familiar to exiles fans having been on loan at Nottingham this term.

And 24-year-old Hughes arrives having scored 244 points in three seasons with bottom-club Moseley either side of a successful spell at Leeds Carnegie.

"The signing of three backs of this quality, together with those that we have retained, is a clear statement of the club's intent for next season," said Lewis.

"Quality players want to join a club which has ambition and has already demonstrated that it has a special group of players that can deliver that ambition.

"Kristian Phillips is obviously well known to us and we are delighted to have secured his services.

"He will add his significant experience from the Pro12 to an already very experienced set of backs.

"He is gifted with blistering pace and acceleration and will drive up the competition for places in our back line.

"We have put together a formidable pack for next season who will provide him with the opportunities to be a huge threat to opposition defences.

"We have seen first-hand this season that both Heath Stevens and Glyn Hughes are quality players and we have tracked both since their early season games against us for Nottingham and Moseley, respectively.

"Heath is a powerful carrier who has a strong physical presence both in attack and defence, while Glyn likes to play flat, up in the contact area, and has a strong kicking game and so will suit our style.”

London Welsh finished six points short of the top four after a mixed first season back in the Championship and signed off their campaign with a 24-19 home win over second-placed Doncaster Knights.