Toulon confirm signing of Quade Cooper

Toulon have announced the signing of Australia player Quade Cooper.

In an announcement on the official club website, Toulon said that 27-year-old Cooper had agreed a two-year deal and will move to France this summer.

The Queensland Reds outhalf, who has won 53 caps, becomes the latest Australia international to move abroad, following players like Will Genia, James Horwill and Adam Ashley-Cooper.

He is currently injured, though, and continuing his recovery from a broken shoulder-blade that he suffered playing for the Reds earlier this month.

Bernard Foley is favourite to wear the Wallabies number 10 shirt for their World Cup campaign, which starts against Fiji in Cardiff on September 23.

Cooper, meanwhile, will link up with former Wallabies playmaker Matt Giteau, who has been instrumental in guiding the French club to this season's European Champions Cup final.

Toulon are chasing an unprecedented hat-trick of European titles, and they will play Clermont Auvergne in the final at Twickenham in eight days’ time.

Earlier this week, the Australian Rugby Union announced a major change to its Test squad selection policy five months before the World Cup.

With immediate effect, overseas-based Australia internationals who have played more than 60 Tests for the Wallabies and held a professional ARU contract for at least seven years will be available to head coach Michael Cheika.

Previously, all overseas-based players were ineligible to be picked, and the move could now open the door to an international recall for players like Giteau and his Toulon colleague Drew Mitchell.