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England flanker Roots' 126kg brother heading for Premiership - report
By Josh Raisey
England flanker Ethan Roots is set to be joined by his brother Jimmy Roots at Exeter Chiefs next season, according to the BBC.
The former New Zealand U20 tighthead prop, 24, has spent the last three seasons at Ealing Trailfinders in the Championship, having joined from North Harbour in 2021, but will move up a division at the end of the current campaign by signing for the Chiefs.
Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter said the prop has "huge potential" ahead of his reported arrival at Sandy Park next season.
"He looks like a guy with huge potential and a passion for the sport," Baxter said, as reported by the BBC.
"He's got a lot of things to work on, he's a young tight-head prop, but when I watch him play he likes to play rugby, he likes to run into people in attack and defence.
"Sometimes it can be that simple, guys who just want to get out and play rugby and run around and get on with things, that often can be your big quality, that can be your defining quality to becoming a good player.
"At the end of the day what you have to do is get on a training field and train hard and then you have to go on a rugby field and play hard and I think that's what Jimmy will do."
Ethan Roots made the move to the Gallagher Premiership from the United Rugby Championship's Ospreys at the beginning of the season, having previously represented the Crusaders and North Harbour in New Zealand.
The loose forward qualified for England through his father and, after an impressive first few months in the Premiership, made Steve Borthwick's squad for the Guinness Six Nations this year. He earned his first cap in the opening match of the Championship against Italy in Rome, being named player of the match in the 27-24 win.
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Latest Comments
Willis is decent in the lineout to be fair, but definitely lacking a heavyweight ball carrier.
I think between Underhill, Curry, and Willis there isn't a huge amount between them. Maybe Willis would be good enough to start, but he wouldn't massively improve the team.
Go to commentsI'm not sure he is getting there and I don't think he will. Progress has been glacial honestly. Our attacking structure hasn't improved at all, except that he's now picking Marcus Smith who is a one man attack at the moment... And our defence for obvious reasons is now awful. I would have faith in Borthwick if I had faith in his assistant coaches... But I don't think Wigglesworth is an attack coach and why would he be? He's never been an attack coach and he spent his entire career box kicking. Our defence coach has never been employed as a defence coach and is still the head coach of a second division French side with an awful defensive record. The fact that Borthwick appointed them both is a poor reflection. If we still had Felix Jones and we had Mike Catt/Nick Evans or someone in the attack coach role, I'd be content to be patient and that results will come. With Wigglesworth and Joe El Abd, I have no faith that we will improve and I've seen no signs that we are.
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