Exclusive by Mark Dobson

WORCESTER have swooped for one of French rugby's hottest properties.

Nicolas Le Roux has swapped Brive for Sixways as the Warriors look to build on their first season in the top flight.

The 28-year-old is rated as one of the best full-backs in European rugby and arrives at Worcester after helping to knock them out of the European Challenge Cup earlier in the season.

"He's a very exciting signing," said head coach Andy Keast.

"We knew about him before our games with Brive in the Challenge Cup and he's friends with Thomas Lombard so he made us aware that Nicolas was interested in a move.

"He's very, very quick and his main strength is as a counter-attacking full-back. He's incredibly skilful and will add a real threat to our back-line next season.

"He can play out wide as well but he is a full-back rather than a converted winger. There aren't that many out-and-out full-backs in world rugby today but Nicolas is one of them.

"He's been keeping Julien Laharrague from the full-back jersey at Brive so that tells you his quality. He's signed a deal to keep him at the club for two years."

The former French sevens star attracted interest from newly-promoted Bristol and London Irish, but Worcester landed their man after revealing ambitious plans for the second season in the Premiership.

"We sat down with him and talked over our plans," added Keast. "He was very excited with the way we want to play and he is an ambitious man who wants to achieve in the game. He could see that Worcester are going places and wants to be part of it.

"He's going to be a big threat next season to Premiership defences because he reads the game so well and has lightning pace to go with that.

"What it will do is put fear into the opposition and actually affect their game plan. They will be very wary of kicking to him because he can punish sides on the counter.

"We've now got two top-class full-backs at the club along with Thinus Delport. It gives us options and tremendous competition for places because they can both play out wide and at 15.

"As coaches, you want that competition and the ammunition to play an expansive game when it is required.

"It's a terrific signing for the club and he'll have supporters off their seats next season. He's a big talent."

French legend Thomas Castaignede is also a paid-up member of the Le Roux fan club.

"He doesn't really look like a rugby player because he's not very large and is quite skinny," he said.

"However, he's completely unpredictable. He just runs everywhere, Speedy Gonzalez-style."