Francis will quit Exeter to join the Ospreys
THE OSPREYS will this week announce they have signed Wales international tighthead Tomas Francis from double winners Exeter Chiefs.
Francis, 28, has been forced to choose between the Chiefs or his international career because, with 47 caps, he falls under the 60-cap threshold for playing outside Wales.
The former Doncaster Knights and London Scottish ace joined the Chiefs in 2014 and played in both of their Premiership final triumphs over Wasps in 2017 and 2020.
Francis, who qualifies for Wales through his Abercraf-born grandmother, turned professional after studying mechanical engineering at the University of Leeds.
He has been constantly linked with a move to one of the Wales regions over the last couple of years but penned an extension with the Chiefs last year.
It is understood the deal contained a break clause which allowed him to walk away at the end of this season and that has now been invoked.
Ospreys boss Toby Booth moved quickly to snap him up and will unveil his latest signing in the next 72 hours.
The news will be a big blow to the Chiefs, and director of rugby Rob Baxter has already started to make enquiries about who is available to replace Francis at Sandy Park.