England winger Ollie Hassell-Collins will join Leicester Tigers from London Irish for the 2023-24 Gallagher Premiership season.

Hassell-Collins made his full senior England debut in this year’s Guinness Six Nations and his move from the Exiles to Welford Road has now been confirmed after previously being widely reported.

The 24-year-old came through the Irish academy before making his senior debut in 2018 and brought up 100 appearances for the Brentford-based club against Sale Sharks earlier this month.

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Hassell-Collins said: “It’s the biggest club in England and hard to say no, when they want to come and chat with you. It excites me a lot, being a part of Leicester Tigers.”

“I know some of the guys and am looking forward to being a part of the young group and what is a pretty crazy potential line-up in the backline.

“It’s a hell of a ground, and when you think about Leicester Tigers, you think about the stadium and crowd, how hostile it is, and it’s exciting to know I’ll be on the home side of that.”

Former Wallabies assistant Dan McKellar is taking over as Leicester head coach at the end of the season and cannot wait to have Hassell-Collins on board.

Hassell-Collins to join Leicester: Hear from new coach

He said: “Ollie is a great addition to what is an exciting group, which I cannot wait to work with starting from next season. He is an international, who is already very experienced in the Premiership at a young age.”

“The squad put together for next year is a great mix of youth and experience, which I hope Leicester Tigers supporters are as excited as I am about.”

Interim head coach Richard Wigglesworth added: “Ollie is one of the game’s most exciting young wingers and it’s very pleasing that he will be a Leicester Tigers player from next season.

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“He has shown in the short time he’s spent in the senior game that he is capable of scoring tries and is also a physical presence out wide, in attack and defence, that we’re looking forward to having here at the club.

“Ollie deservedly so made his Test debut this season and that experience, especially alongside some of his future Tigers teammates, is fantastic for him and his game development.

“What’s most pleasing and exciting is that there is still so much growth in Ollie and his game, which we are confident he will gain at Leicester Tigers.”

There will be plenty of competition in the back three next season with former England full-back Mike Brown extending his stay beyond the end of this season and former Wasps flyer Josh Bassett joining from Harlequins.

Despite only arriving in the East Midlands ahead of this season, the future of England’s Anthony Watson appears to be in doubt amid reports he is considering a move abroad.

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