Exeter Chiefs are on the verge of announcing the signing of Len Ikitau, the Australian centre who has earned 39 caps for the Wallabies. The 26-year-old, alongside fellow Australians Jake Gordon and Julian Heaven, has been heavily linked with a move to Sandy Park. Ikitau’s potential arrival would fill the void left by Joe Hawkins, the Wales centre returning to his homeland this summer.

Rob Baxter, Exeter's head coach, spoke to BBC Sport about Ikitau, stating, "He's a fantastic player and one we'd love to have here at Exeter." Baxter also addressed the need for reinforcements in key positions, particularly at hooker and scrum-half. Heaven is expected to replace Dan Frost, who is set to join Bath, while Gordon would bring much-needed experience to the scrum-half role.

Baxter emphasized the importance of filling these roles with quality players, saying, "They're positions that everyone knows we're looking at. Obviously, we've got hookers leaving and off contract, so we're certainly looking at the hooker position. At nine, people are aware we're looking to add a bit of experience and quality there as well. Jake Gordon certainly fits that bill."

While Baxter did not confirm the deals, the potential signings would add to Exeter’s history of recruiting Australian talent. Past players such as Dean Mumm, Nic White, Dave Dennis, and Greg Holmes have all donned the Exeter jersey. Additionally, Wallabies back-row Tom Hooper has already committed to joining the club in the summer, while prop Scott Sio remains under contract.

These moves underline Exeter’s ambition to remain competitive in domestic and European competitions, building on their legacy of integrating international stars into their squad.