University of Exeter
University of Exeter and Exeter Chiefs
The relationship between Exeter Chiefs and Exeter University Rugby Club (EURFC) began in 1860 with St Luke’s College and continued in 1872 when Exeter Rugby Football Club, now Exeter Chiefs, played its first ever inaugural match against St Luke’s College. That fixture marked the start of a close partnership that still thrives today.
By the 1950s, university rugby began to prove itself as a major influence on English rugby. St Luke’s College was a dominating force throughout, with regular fixtures against Bristol, Gloucester, Rosslyn Park and Wasps. By 1969, the long-lasting and spirited rivalry between St Luke’s and Loughborough College was established, which has produced some of the best university fixtures the country has seen. Since merging with the University of Exeter in 1978, the programme has gone from strength to strength. Now part of a Russell Group university, EURFC attracts talented players who combine academic excellence with the ability to compete at the highest level of the game.
The Successes of EURFC
For the last two decades, EURFC has remained a dominant force in university rugby. The 1st XV have achieved numerous BUCS National Championship titles, the most recent of which came at StoneX Stadium in 2023 against Loughborough. They have also won their respective BUCS league multiple times, including back-to-back BUCS Super Rugby triumphs in 2018 and 2019, and more recently in 2024. In the English league pyramid, the club continues to go from strength to strength, having been promoted to National 2 for the first time, ahead of the 2022-23 season.
These achievements have not gone unnoticed at Sandy Park. In their recent rise to becoming a major force in PREM Rugby, Exeter Chiefs have stuck to their roots in producing top-class players from their own academies, with EURFC sat high in their pecking order. It is no secret that the University and PREM side play a similar brand of rugby, materialised from close-knit relationships between the coaching teams.
Tony Rowe CBE, chairman and CEO of Exeter Rugby Club has been a driving force in the development of the working relationship between the Chiefs and the University of Exeter.
EURFC Women
The Exeter Chiefs Women and University of Exeter pathway is one of the strongest development programmes in the women’s game. Supporting more than 150 players across its pathway and U23s programmes, it provides clear progression from high-performance rugby to Premiership Women’s Rugby and the international stage.
Former Exeter Chiefs captain and now Chiefs U23s head coach Poppy Leitch is supported by coaches Emily and Flo Robinson, Abby Middlebrooke, and Alex Tessier, captain of Canada.
The women’s 1st XV has reached the BUCS Super Rugby final three times, winning twice in the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons. The University also provide a team for Women’s Championship South 1, having achieved three consecutive promotions from Women’s NC 3 South West in just three seasons. While Chiefs represents the professional top tier, the Championship side is able to provide a clear pathway and valuable game-time opportunities for university students alongside Chiefs contracted players.
Delivered by an experienced coaching team, the high-performance pathway combines elite coaching, strength and conditioning sessions, game and training analysis, and game opportunities to develop confident and capable players ready for the highest levels of the game.
A growing number of EURFC Women alumni continue to break through to senior international rugby:
- Nancy McGillivray (Ireland, Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
- Maisy Allen (England, Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
- Merryn Elworthy (England Sevens, Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
- Poppy Leitch (England, Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
- Caity Mattinson (Scotland, University of Exeter)
- Clara Nielson (England & Ireland, Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
- Amber Reed (England, University of Exeter)
- Flo Robinson (England, Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
“We truly believe that the University of Exeter plays a hugely valuable part in our aim to be one of the best rugby teams in Europe. Not only does it allow us to extend the range of our academy to cater for the needs of our higher educational achievers, who can have a first-class education alongside a professionally-run rugby programme, but it also adds an arm to our recruitment and development process.”
“The links we have are real, which is shown by the number of players both from within our region and from without who have gone on to earn full-time professional contracts. Several staff members and current players aid with coaching and mentoring at the University, making our rugby, conditioning and playing philosophies are closely aligned. The BUCS competition works extremely well as the bridge between youth and age group rugby through to the senior leagues and allows time for some players to gain the degree of physical maturity that they will need. We have seen many players develop through this competition into Premiership and International quality players, and we can only see this situation continuing in the future.”
Rob Baxter OBE, director of rugby
EURFC to the elite
Current university students, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England), Campbell Ridl (England U20s), Kane James (England U20s), Nick Lilley (England U20s) and Ben Coen (England U20s) have been making their mark on the 2025/26 season, competing in the Gallagher PREM, PREM Cup and European Challenge Cup.
Recent alumni Ross Vintcent (Italy), Christ Tshiunza (Wales) and Dafydd Jenkins (Wales) have become regular selections for international competition, with Jenkins making history as the second-youngest player to captain Wales. Alongside them, recent graduates Ben Hammersley, Tom Cairns and Dan John have also established themselves as regular contributors for Exeter Chiefs.
The EURFC pathway has produced a remarkable group of players who have gone on to feature heavily for Exeter Chiefs:
- Henry Slade (England, Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
- Sam Skinner (Scotland, Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
- Jack Maunder (England, Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
- Richard Capstick (England A, England U20’s, Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
- Sam Maunder (England U20’s, Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
- Tom Lawday (Exeter Chiefs, University of Exeter)
“The partnership between the club and the University continues to grow from strength to strength and the University are particularly proud to see so many Alumni and current students playing a huge part in the current Exeter Chiefs 1st XV. The coaching and support staff links between the University and Exeter Chiefs provides great alignment and allows players to have all the tools they need to catapult themselves onto the professional scene.”
Gareth Elliott, Head of Men's Rugby, University of Exeter
