Exeter Chiefs face crisis as duo in same position head to door

Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter faces a problem with at least two of his three front-line hookers looking set to leave Sandy Park when their contracts run out at the end of the season.

There are signs that they could be joined by a third, which could throw his recruitment plans into total disarray and force a dramatic rethink as clubs start to step up their transfer plans after the Christmas and New Year period.

Ex-Cornish Pirates and Wasps man Dan Frost is set to become the first player out of the exit door after we understand he has agreed to rejoin another of his former clubs, Bath, next season.

Champions Cup best SA XV not in SA teams | RPTV

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Champions Cup best SA XV not in SA teams | RPTV

Robbie Fleck and Nick Mallett pick their best South African XV playing in the Champions Cup, but not in South African teams. Watch the full episode on RugbyPass TV

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Taunton-born Frost, 27, has started 12 of his 13 appearances this season, scoring five tries moved to Devon in October 2022 when Wasps were liquidated initially on a short-term contract before signing a two-year deal.

He could be followed out of the club by Jack Innard, who is Welsh-qualified and is on Warren Gatland’s radar for a shock call-up for the Six Nations campaign which gets underway at the end of the month.

Truro-born former England under-20 international, 29, who scored two tries in the 2018 Anglo-Welsh Cup win over Bath, joined the Chiefs in 2013 and had loan spells at Launceston, Cornish Pirates and Plymouth Albion.

He has made ten appearances for the Chiefs this season, all off the bench, including yesterday’s 28-15 defeat to Leicester Tigers. He also scored one try against the Pirates in the Premiership Cup.

Innard had been keen on a move to Japan but is being looked at by Welsh regions encouraged by Gatland, who is leaving no stone unturned to try and turn around last year’s disastrous form.

It is understood that long-serving Exeter-born club skipper Jack Yeandle, who was signed from Doncaster Knights 13 years ago and celebrated his 35th birthday before Christmas, is yet to be offered a deal for next season.