Opportunity knocks for Caulfield

By Nick Warren

Josh Caulfield hopes to follow in the footsteps of other Exeter Chiefs academy players and break into the first team.

The teenager has stepped up to train with the senior squad this summer after progressing through the academy.

Forward Caulfield, who has been named in England Under-18s’ squad to tour South Africa next month, has settled in quickly among the professional ranks.

And the former Bicton College student is keen to keep working hard to make the most of his opportunity.

Caulfield said: “It’s been good so far, I’ve settled in really well, it seems like I’ve been here for years now, all the boys have been welcoming.

“Pre-season is tough but it’s what you expect. Leaving college and coming into a professional environment, I realised it was going to be tough but I’m really enjoying it so far.

“I’ve got to keep working hard, hopefully this season I’ll come through and get some game time.”

He added: “I definitely look up to the other guys who have come through the academy. I can use them as mentors and use them to help my rugby.

“When I was at college I watched them feature a lot this year, a few of them have gone on to play for England and looked really good.

“It’s also good for me seeing all the young players coming up through the club and hopefully that can happen for me.”

Caulfield, who can play as a lock or in the back-row, knows that he needs to get more experience of senior rugby to accelerate his development.

Having spent part of last season with National Two South side Taunton, under the guidance of Chiefs legend Tony Yapp, he expects to go back to play for the Titans in the coming campaign.

And, coupled with Exeter’s A League programme for the second-team, Caulfield hopes there will be plenty of opportunities to get game time next term.

“I played in the A League last year and signed for Taunton and played a couple of games there, but it’s definitely key that you get that under your belt,” he said.

“Going from youth rugby into adult rugby is a huge change in the physicality and the speed of the game, so it’s good to get some games under your belt. Hopefully I’ll do that for Taunton this year, where I believe I’m going.”

Caulfield is not the only youngster to be stepping up to the professional ranks with the Chiefs this summer as Jack Maunder and Harrison Cully also signed deals at the end of last term.

He said having some familiar faces around has helped him settle in at Sandy Park.

“There’s a lot of mates in the academy, especially as we all live together and then come here every day, so we’re spending a lot of quality time with each other,” he said. “We’re all good friends, we get on really well on and off the pitch, which helps.”