Exeter Chiefs coach Ricky Pellow says lessons learned from the club's first-ever experience of the Heineken Cup will prove invaluable in the future growth of the Devon outfit.
Recent defeats to Clermont Auvergne and Leinster brought to an end Exeter's European exploits for another season, but Pellow says the challenge of tackling two of the heavyweights clubs in the Northern Hemisphere has served a meaningful purpose.
After two seasons with the Exeter Chiefs, Aly Muldowney is to depart Sandy Park at the end of the current campaign to take up a new challenge with Irish province Connacht.
Signed by Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter from Glasgow Warriors, the 29-year-old forward has since gone onto feature 35 times for the club in all competitions.
The Stafford-born second-row, who is Irish qualified by virtue of his father being born in Newbridge, Co.Kildare, has agreed a three-year contract with the Galway-based outfit.
Commenting on the news, Baxter said: "Obviously we are sad to see...
Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter has made his first signing for next season with the capture of Welsh international Tom James from the Cardiff Blues.
The 25-year-old winger, who has agreed a two-year deal with the Aviva Premiership club, joins the Chiefs after a successful seven-year stint with the Welsh region.
Capped ten times by his country, James was on the score sheet when the Blues defeated Gloucester 50-12 in 2008 to lift the EDF Energy Cup, and he was also part of Cardiff’s Amlin Challenge Cup winning squad of 2010.
A bit like a holiday romance, you make friends early on; you promise to meet again in the future; but in reality you end up going your separate ways.
Well, in the case of Exeter Chiefs, they sadly saw their European escapades end on a sad note, but not before giving reigning Heineken Cup champions Leinster another half decent scare.
Exeter Chiefs saw their first-ever Heineken Cup exploits ended for the year as they ran into a French freight train in the shape of Clermont Auvergne (Clermont Auvergne 46 - Exeter Chiefs 3).
Unbeaten on home soil for 53 games before kick-off, Vern Cotter’s star-studded side produced a ruthless display of power, pace and precision as they added the scalp of the Aviva Premiership club to their list of sides humbled at the imposing Stade Marcel Michelin.
Tries from Wesley Fofana, Jean-Marcellin Buttin (2), Damian Chouly, David Skrela and Naipolioni Nalaga were the high points...
As Northampton Saints marched back up the motorway, Exeter Chiefs were left licking their wounds as their unbeaten home record in the Aviva Premiership was taken from them by Jim Mallinder’s men (Exeter Chief 19: Northampton Saints 30).
A New Year begins in earnest for the Exeter Chiefs tomorrow and assistant coach Ali Hepher is hopeful his side will get 2013 off to a bang by seeing off visiting Northampton Saints at Sandy Park (3pm).
After a Christmas period which could - and probably should - have brought a sackful of points from clashes with Gloucester and Bath, the Devon club ended up more with leftovers, rather than the rewards their hard-working efforts merited.
The boot of England international Freddie Burns ultimately denied the Chiefs in a ding-dong battle at Kingsholm, before a late...
Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter has spoken of his disappointment after it was confirmed prop Brett Sturgess is set for a spell on the sidelines.
The 31-year-old forward broke his arm during Saturday 12-12 Aviva Premiership draw with Bath at Sandy Park and now faces the prospect of being out for up to 12 weeks.
It's an untimely blow for the Kettering-born player who suffered a similar injury to his other arm last season.
Baxter said: “Sturge has broken his arm and he’ll be having an operation today (Monday).
Christmas may have been earlier in the week, but Bath were gift-wrapped a share of the spoils in their latest Aviva Premiership match-up with the Exeter Chiefs, writes Mark Stevens.
With just four minutes remaining of another keenly-contested derby encounter at a packed Sandy Park, referee David Rose handed the visitors a belated festive present in the shape of a penalty try.
That score, combined with the resultant conversion from replacement Tom Heathcote, ensured Exeter’s search for a first-ever top flight win over Gary Gold’s side will extend into another season at least...
Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter is predicting a bright future ahead for three of the club’s rising stars after they today agreed new deals with the Aviva Premiership club.
With Baxter busy sorting out new contracts for a number of his current first-team squad, the news that England Under-20s internationals Jack Nowell, Henry Slade and Sam Hill have all agreed two-year contracts to stay at Sandy Park is yet another welcome boost to the Exeter leader.
The talented trio, all of whom are part of the club’s highly successful Academy system, are just the latest in a line of...
