Academy prepare for PREM Next Gen return in August

Exeter Chiefs Academy will kick off their 2026/27 PREM Next Gen season with a round one meeting with Harlequins Academy at Malvern School next month.

All round one fixtures will kick-off throughout the day on Wednesday, 5 August at Malvern School with Chiefs confirmed for a 13:45 start.

Chiefs academy confirmation coach Ali Hepher said: “This is a new group we’ve got coming together. We’ve promoted a number of our U16s from last year who showed real progression and promise in their performances near the tail end of the season.

“We’ve had a good block of training for the last three or four weeks, which is all going to help us build into the opening weeks of games.”

Round two is also on the road to Sale Sharks Academy at the home of Sale FC on Friday, 14 August before one week later sees Chiefs play their first home game of the season against Leicester Tigers Academy. The round three match will kick-off at 12:00 noon at the Exeter College Centre for Rugby.

Chiefs then head into an eight-week break before travelling to Hartpury College to play Gloucester Academy on Saturday, 24 October. That marks the last fixture of the calendar year, with teams having to wait until January for the next round.

Hepher added: “We’ve got a few lads away on age-grade international duty at the start of the season, so it’ll allow us to see the performances of some of the wider group and gives some lads the opportunity to impress.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how the group as a whole will bond together to put together a strong season.”

The remaining four fixtures all land in the first month of 2027. Two home matches, against Bristol Bears Academy [Saturday, 2 January] and Northampton Saints Academy [Saturday, 19 January] are interspersed with away games against Yorkshire Rugby Academy [Saturday, 9 January] and the regular season finale against Bath Rugby [Saturday, 23 January].

Full fixture information for the Academy can be found on our website here.