Rob Baxter says he is looking to sign players who will strengthen Exeter Chiefs' strong XV as the club have confirmed the signing of Wallabies back row forward Tom Hooper ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Heralded in Australia as an emerging firepower in the Wallabies set up, 23-year-old Hooper has accumulated 10 appearances for his country and 38 for his club side the ACT Brumbies with another season of Super Rugby to play before switching continents.

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter said: "Tom is one of several deals we hope to get over the line. He is someone we should definitely consider a frontline player. He is a really good age to come and add to our group. The only guys I am talking to is players who I would have an expectation of being in our best matchday 23. They have obviously got to turn up and perform to do that and I am expecting every guy who is here under contract to challenge them and not accept that, but we want to be a progressing club and the players I am talking to should have that expectation on them, because that is how we will grow our group. We will be a smaller squad next season but the plan is to add, in key positions, some very good players who will help us keep moving in the right direction.

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"Tom is a young international who is a big, abrasive back-five forward, we see him having the opportunity to play across our back row but cover second row as well.

“He’s got a lot of the attributes that are really important in Premiership rugby – high work-rate along with good physical size and good physical abilities. He’s also an interesting character and someone we’re excited to bring to the club to grow the team we want to put together going forward.

“Alongside our other young back five forwards, such as Dafydd Jenkins, Rusi Tuima, Greg Fisilau and Ethan Roots – the back five has the ability to be a really strong group that can build over a number of years. We’d like to see that all develop into becoming what I’d like to see as a dominant back five to the scrum in the coming seasons.”

The Australian flanker's contract has been announced with doubts over the future of Exeter's popular South African powerhouse backrower Jacques Vermeulen who is understood to be out of contract at the Premiership side at the end of the season.

The Sydney-born player, who is described by many in the Wallabies set up as fiercely competitive, made his Super Rugby debut in 2021 against the Crusaders having had his opportunity to play at that year’s U20 Junior World Championship curtailed by COVID-19.

Hooper fell under the spotlight of the Australian coaches’ interest in 2022 with some confident and physical performances for an injury-struck Brumbies squad. Disappointingly, he was injured himself in a quarter final appearance but Michael Cheika – a Wallabies Coach at the time – was already intrigued.

By the time Hooper rehabbed his injury, Eddie Jones was the man in charge and ultimately gave the combative forward his test debut in The Rugby Championship in July 2023. Just months later, the youngster was also named in the Wallabies 2023 Rugby World Cup squad. Most recently he caught the eye for Australia A when they face England at the Stoop back in the Autumn.