Exeter have signed Australia prop Scott Sio from Super Rugby side the Brumbies, the English Premiership club announced Wednesday.
The southwest team said the 30-year-old front-row, capped 71 times by the Wallabies, had joined on a "long-term deal" without disclosing the exact length of his contract.
Purchase your tickets for the O'Reilly Cup and the Rugby Championship
Sio spent 11 seasons at the Brumbies and was a member of the Australia side defeated by New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup final at Twickenham.
"Having been at the Brumbies for so long, it is going to be a different challenge, but it is one that I feel I need," Sio said in an Exeter statement.
"I have played over in England and Europe before at Test level, but having that weekly challenge is going to be something new.
"It is going to be physical and a lot is put on you as a forward, but that is one of the things that attracted me to coming over. I wanted to test myself in a new team and a new environment."
Sio becomes Exeter's sixth signing ahead of the new season, following the Leinster duo of Jack Dunne and Rory O'Loughlin, with Aidon Davis, Ruben Van Heerden and Solomone Kata all heading to Sandy Park as well.
“It’s going to be good coming up against some of the best teams in Europe,” he added.
“Watching the Champions Cup you can see it’s a pretty special competition and I know the Premiership is going to be just as tough.
“It’s going to be physical and a lot is put on you as a forward, but that’s one of the things that attracted me to coming over. I wanted to test myself in a new team and a new environment.”
He joins fellow Aussies Greg Holmes, Dave Dennis, Dean Mumm and Nic White in making the move to the Chiefs.
“Chatting with all those guys, they only had good words to say about the place,” Sio believes.
“They told me the Chiefs are a great club, on and off the field, and that’ll I will enjoy every minute of it.”
Exeter begin their Premiership campaign at home to champions Leicester on September 10.
