Higgins can play both in the centre and on the wing

Exeter Chiefs have signed winger Andrew Higgins a year after he retired from rugby in the aftermath of the Bath drugs scandal.

Higgins had already committed his future to the Devon club ahead of their Championship play-off final win against Bristol on Wednesday night.

The 29-year-old has made 106 top flight appearances, scoring 23 tries.

Having made his debut for Bristol in the 2003/04 season, he went on to spend six seasons at Bath.

Higgins resigned from Bath along with former team-mates Michael Lipman and Alex Crockett in June 2009 amidst allegations of failing to take drugs tests on three occasions.

The trio strongly refuted the allegations but decided that their positions at the club had become untenable.

Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter said: "People may say it's a bit of a gamble but as far as I am concerned it's not".

"We are fortunate that this is the time he wants to get back into rugby."

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