Former Australia wing Speight bound for Biarritz

Former Australia wing Henry Speight has left the Reds to join Biarritz Olympique on a three-year deal.

The Queensland Rugby Union agreed to release the 32-year-old flyer from his contract and he will be playing in the Rugby Pro D2 next season.

Speight switched to the Reds on a two-year deal late in 2019 after a long spell with the Brumbies and a short stint with Ulster, but looks set to end his career in France.

He said: "I would like to take the opportunity to say a heartfelt and enormous thank you to the entire organisation that is the Queensland Reds.

"Firstly, the opportunity to experience an elite rugby programme which is surrounded and upheld by quality people, who have a genuine care for the person and the professional.

"This group and the organisation have demonstrated that the Reds are a destination club that will allow players to be their absolute best and the strong culture here is something that I know that I will deeply miss.

NEWS | The QRU has agreed to release https://t.co/4mSQR9Bfhc Queensland Reds winger Henry Speight to French Rugby club Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque. READ MORE: https://t.co/sVzU8AyLdP@jbaldige @BOPBweb pic.twitter.com/k0at7sA5lo

— Queensland Reds (@Reds_Rugby) June 14, 2020

"My family and I are unbelievably grateful that, from the board down, our request was dealt with respect and that the organisation was ultimately sympathetic to the opportunity that lies in front of us.

"I know that this place has an exciting future and I look forward to being able to say with enormous pride that I pulled on the Queensland Reds jersey, when the organisation achieves the success that it deserves."