Burger ready to embrace the opportunities of a new season

In the space of nine months, Ethan Burger progressed from making his Chiefs debut to taking the field in the 2026 Gallagher PREM Final. It was a season he loved every minute of.

What then are his excitement levels like to try to do it all over again this year?

Burger said: “I’m extremely excited. When the final whistle blew and the final was over, I actually didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want the off-season break. I wanted to keep playing.

“I was loving playing so much. Being involved in the team and in those big moments, you just get so attached to it. Week to week, I was learning so much and credit to the likes of Scott Sio who helped me a huge amount. I honestly loved every second of last season.

“Coming into pre-season is a little different with the internationals not being back yet, but that’ll just add a new element to things. It’s kind of weird thinking the likes of Nika [Abuladze] is going to come in and I’ll be mates with him but I’m also going to be competing for the same shirt. It’s exciting though.

“It sounds cliché but having competition is one of the best things for the team, because we drive each other and make one another better. I’m looking forward to this season.”

Exeter’s performance throughout the 2025/26 season caught many outsiders by surprise. Rob Baxter’s side progressed to knockout rounds in all three major competitions as quietly, a young prop worked his way through 20 appearances.

Burger’s maiden season in Devon had been devoid of game-time as he honed his craft under the tutelage of forwards coach Ross McMillan and with the assistance of seasoned veteran Sio. However, that only meant that when opportunity came knocking in October 2025, he was ready to seize it with both hands.

Could he have foreseen what was to come when he ran onto the pitch at Ashton Gate against Bristol Bears?

Burger chuckled: “Honestly speaking, no. From the player I was at the start of last season making my debut, compared to the end, I think that’s two completely different players.

“With the amount of game time I was fortunate enough to get, through the backing of the coaches, there were so many opportunities for growth and to the best of my ability I tried to use them.

“I think I grew a lot as a player. You don’t see that coming and you can’t really prepare for it, it just happens. It was such a rollercoaster of a season, the highs and lows, but I kind of just went with it! I was so privileged and grateful to be a part of it. It’s all you dream of to be a part of a team like this. It was an eye opener of a season as to what this sport can really be.”

It’s quite the career progression for a 26-year-old player that the year prior to signing for Chiefs, was honestly contemplating throwing the towel in on rugby.

Burger said: “I think I would have carried on playing, but only at a casual or social level. I was finishing university back in South Africa and it was my wife who said to me ‘shall we try to find you a new agent?’ because at the time I didn’t have one. It was them who helped me get a gig here at Exeter, contacting Ross [McMillan] who had first spotted me when he was a coach at London Irish.

“They took a chance on me. If it wasn’t for that, I probably would’ve gone into teaching. If I didn’t hack it at professional level, I probably would’ve gone into club rugby back home. It’s hard to say but it would’ve all been up in the air for me if I hadn’t come here.”

What subject would Ethan Burger the teacher specialise in?

He laughs: “Goodness, I don’t know. Physical education?”

Trading South African soil for the beaches of the South West of England could’ve been seen as a gamble, but it’s one which has arguably paid off for Burger. The Chiefs environment has propelled him through personal development and he thinks a great deal of credit is due to the coaches and teammates he finds himself surrounded by.

He said: “The competitive side of things here, Ross especially drives it for the forwards. That inspires us to really look to push each other. I don’t take it for granted that I’m here, I don’t expect that I’m going to be first choice, so I think it’s about just keeping chipping away at it.

“I strongly believe that the harder you work, you’ll reap the rewards for it. When or if that chance comes, it’s not really up to me. All you can do is put your best foot forward, chase being the best person and best player you can be.”

The commitment Burger has shown since arriving in 2024 was rewarded earlier this year when in April he signed a contract extension. In the announcement, director of rugby Rob Baxter described the prop as “dynamic and powerful” and a player who was “clearly improving with each minute he spends on the field”. Burger says that belief being bestowed in him means a great deal.

He added: “It’s everything. Everyone knows who Rob Baxter is, so to have someone like him say those types of things means he really backs you. When you’re here you learn that things are pretty straight forward, they’ll say it like it is.

“I want to be a player that’s referred to like that. I know I have it in me. I want to be able to be that game changer, someone who can set the tone on attack or defence. I’ll back myself to be that person to create momentum when we’re on the ball or be super solid on defence, whatever the team needs.”

There is a season full of potential which now awaits, with 30 regular season games in the calendar for Burger to continue his positive momentum. One thing is for certain, he is just one part of a team determined to get back to the grand stage of a final.

Burger said: “I definitely think last year lit more of a fire in us. There’s still that chip on the shoulder now almost. Credit to [Northampton] Saints, they played well and were deserved winners after being one of the strongest teams throughout the entire season. The year that we’d had though, I think we had more in us in that final, and we know that.

“That’s the beauty of rugby though, this season we get to go again. We’re putting in the hard work. We know what we’re capable of and what got away from us.

“I think going into this season, there’s still a slight underlying underdog mentally. It seemed a theme of last year that nobody backed us, but we don’t really mind that because we’re just going to go out and do what we do. Nothing is really going to change for us.

“Going forward, we’re so hungry to get that win. And not just in one competition. We know what we expect of ourselves in all competitions.”