Born in Newport, Dwyer has seen action in both Bosnia and Helmand Province in Afghanistan, and has represented his regiment, the British Army, and the Combined Services on the field, as well as being selected for the Barbarians in 2010. In 2014 he was named captain of the British Army rugby team.
He first came to the Ospreys attention playing for Bridgend during their 2010/11 promotion winning campaign under current Ospreys Head Coach, Steve Tandy, and made one regional appearance at the start of 2011/12 season against Leinster at the Liberty Stadium.
After spending more time in the environment he was handed a playing contract with the Ospreys, allowing him to make a bigger commitment to his rugby with the full support of his military employers and, to date, he has made 23 appearances for the region. His only try to date was an eye-catching match winner at the end of February's LV= Cup win in Bath.
Dwyer said:
"I'm really excited, and honoured, about re-signing with the region. I love being a part of the Ospreys, it's a great environment and a fantastic organisation to be involved with.
"I'm in an extremely fortunate position in that I'm able to combine two really fulfilling careers with two organisations that are committed to developing talent and providing opportunities. I'm grateful to the Welsh Guards for their ongoing support, allowing me to pursue my rugby career, and to the coaches at the Ospreys who have the faith in me to give me another year.
"I want to continue working hard, keep improving and developing, so that I'm ready to make the most of any chances that come my way to wear the shirt."
Rugby General Manager, Andrew Millward, commented:
"Matthew is a great character within the group, as everybody knows, but he brings so much more to the environment than just a jovial personality. He is a passionate, committed individual, always working hard and constantly striving to become a better player.
"His experiences away from the rugby field give him a different perspective on life and his outlook helps to keep those around him grounded and focused. He certainly provides a sense of reality to the youngsters in the squad, around what a great lifestyle it is to be a rugby player, helping them to appreciate what they have and what they are working towards.
"It's probably fair to say that he doesn't get as much rugby as he'd ideally like but he is consistent in everything he does, knows his role, and has never let the Ospreys down when called upon. It's important that we have characters like Matthew in our environment if we are going to keep pushing on and improving as a group."
Dwyer is the latest to sign a new deal with the Ospreys, following on from Jeff Hassler, Tyler Ardron, Justin Tipuric, Joe Bearman, Tom Grabham, Tom Habberfield and Dmitri Arhip, while Paul James, Brendon Leonard and Gareth Delve have been confirmed as additions to the squad for next season.
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