French international full-back Benjamin Thiéry has signed a two-year contract with Top 14 Orange rivals Montpellier.
In Montpellier, Thiéry will compete for selection with Irish full-back Mark McHugh. But the 24-year-old, who joined Biarritz from Basque neighbours Bayonne in 2007 will not be able to participate in any of his new team's European Challenge Cup matches this season as he played in all four Heineken Cup games before Christmas.
The signing of Thiéry, who has won four caps for France and was on the June tour to Australia last year, is expected to the first of many for Montpellier as they aim to fulfil their ambition of winning the French championship within three years.
Montpellier are second in Pool 2, having won two of their four matches played, but are unlikely to make it into the final eight of the European Challenge Cup as a 'best runner up' as eight points is the lowest second placed tally from the five Pools.
