Baxter issues Moon injury update

By Mark Stevens
26/1/23

Rob Baxter says he cannot give a timescale as to when prop Ben Moon will return to the Exeter Chiefs match-day squad.

The 33-year-old forward is currently Exeter's longest-serving player, having made his debut in 2008 away to Sedgley Park, and is the last remaining member of their 2009-10 promotion squad.

The England international, however, has not featured for the Devon club since coming off the bench against Munster in last April’s Heineken Champions Cup clash at Sandy Park.

Asked by the media this week about Moon, the Chiefs’ Director of Rugby said: "I wouldn't hold out hope that he's going to be appearing soon. It's been a challenge for Ben for a little period of time now, it's not just been this season.

"He's had periods in and out with it, it's something that's been affecting him for a little while and because of what it is we just have to be very careful with it."

Moon has featured in all six of Exeter's Premiership final appearances at Twickenham - and he also played in the 2020 European Champions Cup final win over Racing 92, and Exeter's first major final when they beat Northampton Saints to win the 2014 LV Cup.

Moon won eight England caps in the 2018-19 season, but did not make the squad for that autumn's World Cup in Japan.

"He's still active around the club, he's still here, he's in training, he's continuing very hard with his rehab and getting everything else he can right, but we've just got to be really careful around that neck.

"It's probably one of those things where it's getting to the stage where there's not a lot more we can do. I can't talk for Ben about his future, but you're not going to see him in the immediate future on the pitch."