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Rob Baxter explains why Exeter Chief have only made one new signing for 2018/19
By Online Editors
Director of rugby Rob Baxter has explained why Exeter Chiefs have made just one signing ahead of the 2018/19.
So far Alex Cuthbert is the Chief's lone signing.
The Wales and British and Irish Lions international agreed a three-year deal with the Chiefs, leaving Cardiff Blues after seven years at the Arms Park.
Meanwhile they have lost the services of Will Chudley, Ed Holmes, Kai Horstmann, Shaun Malton, Julian Salvi and Thomas Waldrom - all who have either retired or found new clubs.
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The Chiefs have one of the best and most productive academy systems in England, but nevertheless, that the Devon-based side have signed just one player has raised eyebrows.
The squad at Sandy Park is unlikely to change, at least according to Baxter when speaking with Devon Live.
“What we’ve got here now, including the academy guys, will be what we start the season with. I would not be surprised if it is the group we finish the season with too, unless we have major injury issues,” Baxter told the website.
“We are very comfortable with what we have got over the next 12 months and these guys will see us through the season.”
The Chiefs have made a habit of doing things differently, and their recruitment has generally been less about the star power and more about identifying good fits for the club's culture.
“We had an average age which was very good last season – it was the youngest in the Premiership."
“So it wasn’t about going out and recruiting more players, it was about keeping this group together and letting them mature together.”
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Latest Comments
Nah, that just needs some more variation. Chip kicks, grubber stabs, all those. Will Jordan showed a pretty good reason why the rush was bad for his link up with BB.
If you have an overlap on a rush defense, they naturally cover out and out and leave a huge gap near the ruck.
It also helps if both teams play the same rules. ARs set the offside line 1m past where the last mans feet were😅
Go to commentsYeah nar, should work for sure. I was just asking why would you do it that way?
It could be achieved by outsourcing all your IP and players to New Zealand, Japan, and America, with a big Super competition between those countries raking it in with all of Australia's best talent to help them at a club level. When there is enough of a following and players coming through internally, and from other international countries (starting out like Australia/without a pro scene), for these high profile clubs to compete without a heavy australian base, then RA could use all the money they'd saved over the decades to turn things around at home and fund 4 super sides of their own that would be good enough to compete.
That sounds like a great model to reset the game in Aus. Take a couple of decades to invest in youth and community networks before trying to become professional again. I just suggest most aussies would be a bit more optimistic they can make it work without the two decades without any pro club rugby bit.
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