Whitten deal delights Baxter

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter expressed his delight after Irishman Ian Whitten today became the latest player to put pen to paper on a new two-year deal with the Aviva Premiership club.

Just a week after securing the future of hooker Jack Yeandle to the Chiefs, Baxter's contract negotiations with another of his top line stars has proved fruitful with the 26-year-old Ulsterman keen to prolong his stay in Devon.

Signed during the summer of 2012 from Ulster, Whitten has proved a huge hit at Sandy Park - both on and off the field - and has to date featured 34 times for the Chiefs.

"We're really pleased that Whitts is staying with us," said Baxer. "Not only is he a great player, but he's been a great character ever since he arrived. He's a very popular member of the squad for lots of reasons.  Some of them are to do with what a good rugby player he is and some of them are do with the character he is.

"As I said, we're really pleased to have him around for another two years because we also believe he's a guy we still see as improving all the time. We want guys who have bought in to what we are trying to do here and be part of where we are heading as a club."

Equally efficient in the centre or on the wing, Baxter says Whitten's versatility make him a valuable asset to have within the Chiefs make-up.

Baxter said: “I think there’s a bit of a misconception with Whitts as he has done a very solid job for us, but we’re starting to see a bit more than that come through now. He’s had a few games this season when he’s really had a cutting edge with his pace and his power.

“We think he’s improving all the time as a rugby player and decision maker.  I think we see him more as a centre, we’re looking to get the majority of his game time in the midfield now and I think that’s where he’s really going to push through.

“He’s done very well for us in the last couple of years as we’ve pushed up towards the top half of the league and we’re confident that at his age, ability and work ethic he’ll be one of the guys who will keep Exeter improving in the foreseeable future.”

With both Yeandle and Whitten now safely on board for the next two years at least, Baxter will switch his attentions to a number of his other stars who are out of contract at the end of the current campaign. Already the Chiefs coach has been in detailed dialogue with a number of them and is confident of yet more of his squad extending their stays.

"Contract talks are going well," added Baxter. "We're not far off with a couple of important players and we hope to announce those guys next week. We have a lot less contracts to deal with this year than last, which is fantastic for us, and that means already that we will be very settled come next year.

"Already we are in a position of having a strong team available to us, so anything we add now will only be strengthening what is a very strong squad."