Exeter Chiefs confirm the signing of Wasps star with immediate effect

The 25-year-old hooker joins the Chiefs immediately and will be a travelling reserve ahead of tomorrow’s Gallagher Premiership trip to Gloucester.

Taunton-born Frost – who has previously represented Exeter in the A League – is one of several players who have been signed up by clubs across Europe in the wake of Wasps going into administration earlier this month.

Chiefs Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, said: “We’ve known Dan for some time, having watched him play initially at Taunton and then down at the Cornish

, where he was linking up with a few of our guys who were on dual-reg down there.

“He did very well at both those clubs, especially the Pirates, and it was off that form that he picked up his move to Wasps. At the time, it didn’t quite work for us to bring him into the club, but we’ve watched him closely ever since.

“He’s done very well establishing himself in the Premiership and he’s done well when he’s come up against us. Obviously, everyone is aware of the situation at Wasps and with Luke Cowan-Dickie also away currently with England, we felt it was right to bring Dan in to add to that pool of hookers.

“He’s here on injury dispensation as Iestyn Harris is still recovering after having back surgery, but from what we’ve seen so far, I think he will settle in very well. He knows quite a few of our guys already and he’s done well picking up information this week.”

Baxter added: “What I like about him is he’s a player who likes to work hard; he’s good on the ball and he has a lot of good qualities within his game. What this opportunity does is give him that platform to go out and show those qualities and who knows, it may lead to something more longer-term down the line.

“Already, he’s settled in well within the group, he’s a travelling reserve on Friday – and I don’t think it will be too long before we get him involved in that match-day 23.”

As well as Frost, Baxter has not ruled out looking further into adding potential players from Wasps with Exeter-born Launchbury looking for a new club.

“There are lots of players looking for work, looking for clubs, especially young players,” said Baxter. “I feel for all of them as it’s a terrible situation they find themselves in. Dan is obviously one of those players that was establishing himself within the Premiership and the opportunity has arisen for us to bring him in.

“There are others that we are looking at, mainly younger players, as it is easier to work around the scale of their contracts. However, there is some really exciting talent out there, so why wouldn’t you be interested in it?”

Director fo Rugby Rob Baxter had to let the likes of Jonny Hill, Sam Skinner and Tom O’Flaherty leave the club this summer after being unable to match their wage offers elsewhere due to the reduced £5m salary cap all Premiership clubs are operating under this season.

The potential departure of at least one club stalwart and as many as five next summer means it could be the end of an era at Sandy Park.

The Rugby Paper report the star winger’s CV is currently doing the rounds in the French Top 14 with the 29-year-old out of contract at Sandy Park at the end of the season.

Responding to the speculation, Nowell has revealed he’d love to stay at Sandy Park, but added he must always put his ‘family first’.

Speaking exclusively to The Telegraph, he said: “I won’t go to another Premiership side,”

“I want to stay at Exeter, but I’m out of contract, there’s stuff going on with the salary cap and I’ve got a growing family. And I’ll be 30 after the World Cup. I’m in talks with the club at the moment; ideally I’d stay but I’m not too sure what’s going on. The first thing for me is my family.

“My only option if I’m in England is to stay. France, Japan… I went out to Japan for the World Cup – it was an amazing country. I’d like to give Japan a go over France but, obviously, anything could happen.

“There will potentially be a time when I go somewhere else but my roots are here and I’d always end up back here. At the same time, I am quite ‘out there’ as a person and I like my family to be like that so, if I’m given the chance to experience something else with them, then I have to take it.

"The flipside is, if I can get stuff sorted here and I’m still in a position where I can look after the family. I love the club dearly and my main option would be to stay, if I can get something sorted.”

Following media reports in 2021 that the Scotland and British & Irish Lions back was looking at moving away from Sandy Park at the end of the current campaign, the 29-year-old responded to these claims with a short and concise statement.

He wrote: "Further to recent speculation about my future, I'm happy to say that I will be honouring my contract at Exeter Chiefs and I am massively excited about the future. My family and I are very settled and I'm keen to win more titles here."

However, with the salary cap decreased and Hogg our of contract in 2023, the fullback would have to take a payout to stay at Sandy Park.

Another player out of contract is hooker Cowan-Dickie.

The forward continues to feature regularly within the England ranks. Since making his Test debut in 2015, he has helped his country to win the Grand Slam in 2016; he was part of Eddie Jones’ squad that got to the final of the Rugby World Cup against South Africa in Japan in 2019 and helped the Red Rose to win the Autumn Nations Cup final against France.

The number 8 has already confirmed this will be his final season with the Chiefs as a move to Top 14 heavyweights Montpellier has already been agreed.

“I know my decision will stop my England ambitions, but there is still a long way to go this season. Right now, I will be doing everything in my power to play well for Exeter and whatever happens with selection after that, I’ll know I have done my best to try and be included,” Simmonds told the Exeter Chiefs website.

“Making the move away from Exeter was a tough decision for me, but I’m fully focused on playing well for the club this season. The love I have for this team and for the club as a whole, it wasn’t easy but there comes a time when you have to make big decisions.

“In the past, I have stayed here but now this is an exciting move for me. I’ve got a young family and the move really appeals to me. It’s a new challenge and I have always spoken about how as you get older, you have to try new experiences. I’m a Devon boy, who has only lived in Devon, but I want to go out with a bang at Exeter and keep pushing hard for England.”

Having failed to break into the England set-up, brother of Sam, Joe could be tempted by an overseas move if the right sort of offer lands on his lap.

Such was his growing influence within the side that in January 2020, Director of Rugby Rob Baxter made Simmonds captain for the Champions Cup trip to Glasgow Warriors.

By the end of the disrupted season, he would not only lead the Chiefs into two major finals against Racing 92 and Wasps, but he would lift both cups alongside club captain Jack Yeandle.

That double triumph was rewarded on an even higher scale when he was given an MBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours List.