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Northampton's Dan Biggar has joined French club Toulon with immediate effect at the fly-half's request.

Wales international Biggar had already announced he would be leaving Saints at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old made the last of his 69 Northampton appearances in their league win against Wasps in early October.

"I never envisaged leaving Saints midway through the season, but this opportunity came around very quickly," Biggar said.

"I made my decision with a long-term view in mind for my family."

Saints chief executive Mark Darbon said Biggar, who he described as a "world-class player" and "one of the nicest blokes you could meet", leaves with the club's "very best wishes".

"Given the circumstances - with Dan's contract ending at the end of the season, his availability for the rest of the current campaign, the multi-year offer to Dan from Toulon which was contingent on him moving immediately, and the quality of the up-and-coming fly-halves already at the club - we wanted to be pragmatic when Dan approached us," Darbon said.

Biggar's immediate departure from Franklin's Gardens leaves Fin Smith, who recently signed from Worcester Warriors, James Grayson and Matthew Arden as front-line fly-halves, with full-back George Furbank also filling in at 10 in the past.

Biggar completed his medical with the French side this week and now follows in the footsteps of fellow Welsh players Gavin Henson, Leigh Halfpenny and Gethin Jenkins.

Biggar, who has 103 Wales caps and captained his country last season during the Six Nations and summer tour of South Africa, will join up with his new side after the upcoming autumn internationals.