Baxter expecting Sio to make quick impact

By Mark Stevens
5/10/22

Rob Baxter expects new Exeter Chiefs signing Scott Sio to be up to speed quickly after sealing his move to the Gallagher Premiership club.

The Australian international touched down at Sandy Park today following the recent culmination of the Rugby Championship, where he featured for the Wallabies in Tests against South Africa (twice) and New Zealand.

The Chiefs confirmed back in August that the 30-year-old would be heading to Devon after 11 seasons with the Brumbies. And Baxter believes it won't be too long before his new addition is pressing his claims for a match-day role.

"If, by the end of this week, he's getting over jetlag and he can do a full week's training next week, then he's going to be in and around the 23 pretty quickly," Baxter said.

"It's going to take us two or three days to get his training load correct and get him up and running. We're not going to select him just to injure him, but he's obviously a quality player - he was playing international rugby two or three weeks ago.

"We haven't brought him here to sit on the sidelines for too long, but, at the same time, he's going to have to show that he deserves a spot and that he's training well and that he's up to speed."

Among those helping to sell the Chiefs culture are former players Greg Holmes, Dave Dennis, Dean Mumm and Nic White, all of whom enjoyed hugely successful spells at Sandy Park in recent years.

“Chatting with all those guys, they only had good words to say about the place,” said Sio. “They told me the Chiefs are a great club, on and off the field, and that’ll I will enjoy every minute of it.”