London Welsh have signed Australian back-row forward Lachlan McCaffrey from Super 15 side Brumbies.

McCaffrey featured against the British and Irish Lions for Western Force in 2013 and the 24-year-old has also played for the Waratahs, where he made his Super Rugby debut in 2010.

Despite being born in Liverpool, McCaffrey helped Australia reach the final of the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina and also represented the Wallabies at schoolboy level.

Welsh head coach Justin Burnell said: “Lachlan caught our attention at the Cub 10s in Singapore when he was part of the Brumbies squad. I had the opportunity to meet him first hand and have a look at him play, and he really impressed me.

“He’s EQP (an English Qualified Player) and that’s very important, but he’s also got an excellent and proven pedigree in Super 15 rugby.

“He’s a typical ball playing Australian forward – he’s got a brilliant skill set”.

McCaffrey played club rugby for Eastwood in Sydney and was a runner-up with them in last year’s Shute Shield – Sydney’s grade rugby competition.

Newly-promoted Welsh begin their Aviva Premiership campaign at home to Exeter on Sunday, September 7.