Another Wales international has opted to play his club rugby in England next season, with the centre Joe Hawkins having confirmed his summer move to Exeter Chiefs. The 20-year-old Osprey has signed a long-term deal and will join his Welsh teammates Christ Tshiunza and Dafydd Jenkins at Sandy Park.
Hawkins, who made his Test debut last November and started against England in the Six Nations championship this year, is a young player with considerable potential and has five caps. It means he does not meet Wales’s eligibility criteria of 25 caps for those playing outside the country, so risks missing out on the World Cup this autumn.
Rob Baxter, the Exeter director of rugby, and the head coach, Ali Hepher, are looking to rebuild the Chiefs as a title-winning force with several established players set to leave the club next month.
Hawkins said: “I’m really excited about the move. It’s a new challenge for me and something a bit different, especially moving away from my home region who I will always be thankful to. That said, it does feel a home away from home, especially with all the Welsh boys that are down there already.
“Chatting with Rob and Ali, I liked what they had to say about how they want to play and how they want to create a new team capable of challenging at the very top.”
Baxter is similarly delighted to have signed the Swansea-born back, who can also play fly-half. “He’s someone we have had a close eye on for some time and was someone I spotted when we were looking at footage of Daf and a few of the other Welsh Under-20s,” Baxter said.
“We do have players moving on at the end of this season, so it was important we looked at the areas we needed to fill and that we brought in the right players. Joe ticks pretty much every box that we look for in a player and I’ve no doubt he’s going to be a great addition to the squad.
“We are putting together a group of players who, I believe, can really take this club forward over the next few years and really challenge for honours.”
Exeter have also announced the signings of Ethan Roots, the Ospreys’ English-qualified back-rower, and the Newcastle fly-half Will Haydon-Wood.
