Geoff Parling will leave Exeter Chiefs in the summer

He’s leaving for an unnamed Japanese club

The draw for Rugby World Cup 2019 took place in Japan today

Ex-British & Irish Lions and England lock Geoff Parling will leave Exeter Chiefs in the summer to join an unnamed club in Japan.

The 33-year-old, who has 29 England caps, is out of contract at the end of the season and has agreed a short-term deal with a Japanese Top League side.

Exeter have revealed he is likely to then join a Super Rugby franchise in Australia.

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A graduate of Newcastle University, Parling became a regular with the Falcons in the 2005-06 season. The lock skippered the Falcons a season later, but left the northeast side for Leicester at the beginning of the 2009-10 season.

Parling then joined Exeter in 2015 from Tigers, with whom he won two Premiership titles.

He helped the Devon club reach the Premiership final last season, and has played 22 times this term to help them reach the play-offs.