Luke Jones to join Bordeaux

Melbourne Rebels lock Luke Jones is set to join the Bordeaux-Begles on a two-year deal at the end of the 2016 season.

Bordeaux confirmed the signing on Wednesday, with Jones joining capped Wallabies Adam Ashley-Cooper and Sekope Kepu at the French club for the 2016-17 season.

Jones, 24 has been at the Rebels since 2011 and won three Wallabies caps through his Super Rugby career.

The second rower has become a vital part of the Rebels make-up since switching to the Melbourne franchise from the Force, playing 61 matches in five seasons with the club.

Jones’s move came the same day news of a new home for ex-Wallabies winger Lachie Turner.

Turner was signed to the Exeter Chiefs, expanding their Aussie stocks for 2016-17.

Turner, who finished a season at the Queensland Reds in 2015, was signed to a short-term contract with Toulon over the Rugby World Cup and has been looking for a new club since that ended.

The versatile back will join Greg Holmes and Dave Dennis as new additions to the Chiefs for the 2016-17 season.

Chiefs coach Rob Baxter said they felt Turner could continue to improve at a new club.

“Lachie asked me on the phone why we wanted to sign him and I said to him that I liked what I saw, but that I felt there was more we could get out of him,” he said.

“He said he wanted to come to a club where he thought he would be challenged to become a better player and between us we both knew it was going to be a great fit for one another.”

Baxter said Turner’s Super  Rugby and Top 14 experience would only benefit the UK franchise.

“The fact Lachie has played a lot of Super Rugby over the years and more recently in France with Toulon, we know that he’s capable of performing at a very high level,” he said.