Wallabies back-rower Tom Hooper has signed a unique agreement that will see the 25-year-old commit his long-term future to Australian Rugby, joining the Queensland Reds in 2029.
The deal will see Hooper return to Australian Rugby in mid-2028 following the expiration of his current deal with Exeter.
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Hooper has emerged as one of the world's form back-rowers over the past 18 months, starring for the ACT Brumbies.
From here, the Bathurst product was one of the stars of the British & Irish Lions tour, named Player of the Match in the third Test victory in Sydney.
This success continued with the Chiefs in the Premiership, named in the Team of the Season after helping them to the Final alongside fellow Wallaby Len Ikitau.
"I’m really happy to have my long-term future secured with a move back to Australia in the not-too-distant future," Hooper said in a statement.
“I’m thoroughly enjoying my time in Exeter and am focused on continuing to improve my game there before returning to Australia and linking up with Queensland.
“In the short-term, my priority is to continue working hard with the Wallabies where I’m incredibly hungry to contribute on and off the field as we continue to build our game as a group.”
Hooper is currently dealing with a shoulder issue, which has ruled him out of this week's match against France in Brisbane.
He joins a stacked Reds back-row, with Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson already signed until 2029, while Reds captain Fraser McReight remains one of the best in the world.
"We're delighted to welcome Tom to the Reds. While it will be a few years before we see him in a Reds jersey, he's another world-class player we can build our squad around," Reds General Manager, High Performance, Sam Cordingley said.
"In planning for the future, we're confident Tom's decision to join the Reds will be a catalyst for retaining and recruiting players over the next few years."
“Tom’s return to Australian Rugby is a real coup for all supporters of the game in this country," RA Director of High Performance Peter Horne added.
“He’s someone who works incredibly hard on his craft and has already shown the impact he can have at the highest level.”
