French Top 14 side Pau have confirmed the signing of Exeter fly-half Joe Simmonds on a two-year deal.
The 26-year-old, who captained Exeter to the 2020 European Champions Cup and Premiership titles, has spent his entire career at the Devon club.
He was one of a host of long-serving players to leave Sandy Park this summer due to the new lower £5m salary cap.
His brother Sam Simmonds is joining Montpellier while fellow Chief Jack Nowell will move to La Rochelle.
Simmonds scored more than 1,000 points in 178 games for Exeter and was awarded an MBE in December 2020 after the club’s domestic and European double.
“I’ve been playing in the Premiership for a while now and the Top 14 is a championship that attracts me a lot, just like the Pau club,” Simmonds told the Pau website.
“I think I can bring leadership to the team by giving a lot on the pitch and helping young players grow. It’s a great opportunity to be able to play in the Top 14.”
