Baxter's joy as Jack signs on

 

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter believes there is still more to come from Jack Yeandle after the hooker today agreed a new two-year contract with the Aviva Premiership club.

Signed at the start of the 2012/13 season from Championship side Doncaster Knights, the 23-year-old forward has enjoyed a metoric rise to fame since his arrival at Sandy Park.

Having initially had to play the waiting game - including been farmed out on loan to the Cornish Pirates - Yeandle has now established himself as an integral part of the Chiefs pack.

However, Baxter says Yeandle's new contract is just reward for not only the player's attitude and work-rate, but also his on-field performances.

"Jack is a guy who is continually improving for us, has shown some really good form and some really good development since he signed for us from Doncaster," said Baxter. "He is a good guy too which is very important and Exeter is very much his local club, and those things are important.

"We also realise the hard work Jack has put in and these contract extensions and first-team starts come down to the hard work the players are prepared to put in.

"Since Jack came to the club he has worked extremely hard and made sure he has kept improving as a player. He is a very regular and reliable trainer and there is not much more we can ask of him really. We see he can improve as time goes by and he is very much still at the start of his Premiership career."

"We are hoping for him to carry on improving during his career for the next few years yet."

Exeter-born Yeandle was one of a number of current Chiefs whose contracts are set to expire come the end of the season - and Baxter is hopeful that others within the current first team ranks will follow suit in the not too distant future.

"We have a number of important players out of contract this year, although not quite as many as last year," said Baxter. "We are getting there with several players, although Jack is the first one to put pen to paper.

"We have a few that we are talking to about contracts but it is still relatively early and I think there will be announcements relatively soon."