Exeter sign Australia World Cup prop Greg Holmes

Exeter have signed Australia prop Greg Holmes on a two-year contract, beginning next season.

The tighthead, who played in the World Cup final defeat to New Zealand, will join from Super Rugby side Queensland Reds.

Holmes, 32, has played 132 times for the Reds in Super Rugby, and has 24 caps for the Wallabies.

Exeter boss Rob Baxter told the club's official website: "We watched a lot of his games for Queensland and the games he featured for Australia in the Rugby World Cup and I think anyone who looked at Australia's scrum will see they were one of the most destructive units in the tournament and Greg played a large part in that.

"Since then, I have looked a lot of his games and he looks like a guy who has a lot left in the tank and he's running around playing a lot of good rugby.

"We're big believers here at the club of developing young English players, but I've said before part of the way you develop those young players is with the people who they meet and the people they have time with.

"There is no doubt our other front-rowers will benefit from having Greg around, but at the same time he's very determined to be successful in his own right."

Holmes said: "I've been in Queensland all my career so it's going to be a different challenge for me.

"Right now I feel a little bit nervous, but at the same time excited about what lies ahead. I'm at the stage where I wanted to try something a bit different and having spoken to my wife about it, this was a great opportunity for us to do that."