Baxter's joy at new deals

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter has spoken of his delight after he this week tied up the immediate futures of two of his first team squad to new deals at Sandy Park.

Welsh international prop Craig Mitchell has agreed a new one-year contract, whilst winger Matt Jess has in turn penned a two-year deal with the Devon club.

The news is a major boost to Baxter, who said: “I think recruitment and retention are year-round things, they’re not something that starts at Christmas or two months before the end of the season.

“It’s great that these guys are seeing where we want to go and what we want to achieve. I know they’re ambitious players who are probably coming into their prime for what they’re going to be as players, so for them to commit nice and early is great for the club and I think it’ll be great for the players.

“I’m seeing both of these guys coming on in leaps and bounds and for us as a club to have them for the foreseeable future is great.

“The more guys you can get tied down, feeling relaxed and comfortable and knowing where they are for a little while creates a nice balance and solidity to the squad. It means you get a lot of guys training well and playing well and it’s a much more stable to be working in.”

Jess, who on Sunday is poised to make his 100th appearance in total for the Chiefs, joined the club in the summer of 2008 from the Cornish Pirates and since gone on to score 47 tries.

Mitchell, meanwhile, moved to Exeter from the Ospreys at the start of last season and has since gone on to establish himself as a key figure in the Chiefs pack, making 24 tries and scoring his solitary try in our away win at Gloucester.