Bay of Plenty have bolstered their fragile locking stocks with two big signings, three months out from the provincial rugby season.

Former Hurricanes stalwart Luke Andrews and Japanese test player Daniel Quate have been lured to the Bay, adding valuable experience to the Steamers tight-five.

Former Hawke's Bay and Southland lock Quate, 30, has been playing in Japan, while 34-year-old Andrews is currently with the Naceto club in Italy, having just helped them win promotion to the Italian Super 10 competition next season.

"I'm still in pretty good nick although at 34, you have to start taking pretty good care of your body and break out the ice bags pretty regularly," Andrews said from Naceto, near Parma. "But I've signed for two years and still have hopes of maybe getting a Super rugby contract next year - if that doesn't work out, I'll probably look to come back here for another off-season in Italy."

Andrews played more than 50 games for the Hurricanes before leaving for Japan in 2007. Born in Invercargill, he made the New Zealand sevens team under Gordon Tietjens in 1999 and is comfortable at either lock or blindside.

Bay of Plenty will be his fourth province, having also played for Southland, Otago and Wellington.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. I've spent three years away now in Japan and Italy and wonder how much the game has changed back home.

"My wife Kylie has family in Mount Maunganui and I love the place - I love the beaches and the people. I've also got some pretty fond memories of my time with the sevens team, with early morning slogs along the beach under Titch. He worked us pretty hard and I'm happy to hear he hasn't gone soft on the new guys coming through."

Lock has been a big issue for the Steamers in recent years, with huge reliance last season in John Moore and Culum Retallick.

Retallick has kicked on with an impressive Super 14 season with the Chiefs, though a dodgy shoulder has all but ruled veteran Moore out for the rest of the year.

But now Dan Goodwin has moved home from Northland and the Steamers have picked up promising Waikato lock Luke Katene.

Add in Retallick, Andrews and Quate and the position has as good a depth as any other.

It's been a busy off-season for the province, with other signings including All Black wing Lelia Masaga, Tasman frontrowers Tristan Moran and Daniel Perrin, Hawke's Bay first-five Dan Waenga and Otago midfielder Brett Mather.

BOPRU chief executive Jeremy Curragh said that, barring injury, there will be no more ahead of the ITM Cup kickoff in late July.

"The market has gone through a big correction," Curragh said. "For some of the guys with the new contracting system coming up, they're quite keen to live at the Mount. In a month's time, it won't matter if they're living here - they can still be eligible to play for the Highlanders or the Hurricanes or Blues. We'll benefit from that."

 Despite rumours swirling, Curragh denied the union had approached former Steamers star Glen Jackson, who is set to return home to begin a refereeing contract next month.

Jackson kicked Saracens into their first English Premiership rugby final this week, converting three tries in the 21-19 semifinal win over Northampton, and looms as the ideal replacement for injured Bay pivot Mike Delany.

"He'd have to come in and play a bit of footy and we'd watch him," Curragh said. "We'd already planned on Mike staying with the All Blacks this year anyway and penciled in Phil Burleigh, Nick McCashin and Dan Waenga to fill his boots, so we haven't changed anything."