Hot on the heels of landing fly half Danny Cipriani for next season, Wasps have made an audacious attempt to bring David Pocock to the Premiership in a potential deal that would make the Australia flanker the highest paid rugby player in the world.

Pocock, whose contract with the Australian Rugby Union expires at the end of the year, is expected to make a decision on his future in the next couple of weeks. The 27-year-old is considering taking a sabbatical from rugby to study at an overseas university but is understood to be open to the possibility of playing in England having thoroughly enjoyed his time in the country during the World Cup.

Wasps have already put feelers out to his representatives and have indicated that they would offer him a package in excess of the £1.4 million that Racing 92 are paying World Cup winning fly half Dan Carter. Pocock is seen as the perfect replacement for George Smith, who is leaving the club at the end of the season. The veteran Australian openside who has been a revelation this season and has even been brought in by Eddie Jones to advise England on the art of breakdown play.