Chiefs youngsters head to the Pirates

By Mark Stevens
19/6/23

Exeter Chiefs are set to send 12 of their brightest young talents down the A30 this summer as part of their long-standing partnership with the Cornish Pirates.

As has been the case for a number of years, Chiefs’ Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, knows the merits of working with the Championship club in helping to develop a number of his fledgling stars.

Among those who have done similar in their careers include current stars such as Tom Hendrickson, Jack Innard, Billy Keast, Patrick Schickerling, Sam Simmonds, Harvey Skinner, Stu Townsend and Jack Yeandle.

Of the 12 heading to the Mennaye, seven of them have previously featured for the Pirates in competitive action. They are Ben Grubb, Matt Johnson, James Kenny, Jacob Morris, Max Norey, Arthur Relton and Cory Teague.

New faces on the move include Iwan Jenkins, Dan John, Fin Richardson and Cornish duo Harry Hocking and Frankie Nowell.

Baxter said: "We have a fantastic relationship with the Pirates and over the years we've taken the opportunity to send guys down to Penzance to not only game much-needed game time, but give them that experience of playing senior rugby at a decent level.

"For both clubs it's been a real 'win-win' and you only have to look to last season where Tommy Wyatt went down there, got himself in the starting line-up, played very well, before we brought him back and he featured for ourselves in the Premiership and Europe.

"That's what we want to see from this relationship, guys going down there, working really hard and coming back to us having played a big role for the Pirates, but equally developing themselves at the same time."

Again this season the Pirates will be coached by Alan Paver and Gavin Cattle, the latter of whom was delighted to welcome the latest intake into the Duchy.

“We are really pleased once again with our relationship with Exeter Chiefs and the level of players who will be with us. There is quite a good blend of the those concerned. Some of the lads we of course know quite well, whilst others will be fresh to an environment that has worked in the past and no doubt will once again as we move forward.”