New role for Salvi
By Mark Stevens
17/6/18
Julian Salvi says he is looking forward to an “exciting” next chapter in his career after taking on a new coaching role with the Exeter Chiefs.
The experienced Aussie has this week confirmed he is calling time on his 15-year playing career and come next month he will be part and parcel of Rob Baxter’s coaching set-up, overseeing the Devon club’s defence for the upcoming 2018/19 campaign.
Having started his senior career initially back home with the Brumbies, it’s in England where the 32-year-old has really made a name for himself, featuring for Bath, Leicester Tigers and the Chiefs, whom he joined in 2015.
A proven performer on the field, his destructive skills around the breakdown, as well as his relentless workload and high tackle count have made him one of the Premiership’s household names over the years.
Equally his experience and knowledge of the game have been utilised recently not only by the Chiefs, but also by National League One side Plymouth Albion, where Salvi has been able to develop his own coaching skills over the past two seasons.
Now, Salvi aims to make his switch from that of the playing side to his new coaching role a seamless one and help the Chiefs to build on their success of recent seasons.
“As a player you never want to have that day come where you have to hang your boots up,” said Salvi, who made 53 appearances and scored three tries for the Chiefs. “However, this opportunity that Rob and the club have offered me was one I simply couldn’t turn down. To be involved with the Chiefs moving forward, it’s a great privilege for me and one that I am very excited about.
“To be part of what the Chiefs have achieved in the past few years has been outstanding, but I do feel there is still a great more to come from the team moving forward. I think Thomas Waldrom summed it up very well when he said recently that it’s a ‘unique place’ with some ‘interesting characters’, but that it all clicks into place nicely.
“What we have here, however, is a very special group, some may call it a bit odd, but every one of the guys is fiercely determined to do well and achieve things as a collective unit. Over the years I’ve been very lucky to have been involved in some fantastic teams and play alongside some great players, so I am very proud of what I’ve achieved during my time playing at those clubs.”
Salvi’s new role will see him take over an area of the Chiefs make-up that Baxter himself has scrutinised closely since taking charge of the team back in 2010.
“It will be down to me to put my own influence on how we do things and how we shape up defensively, but at the same time I’m not going to come in and throw away all that we’ve done before,” added Salvi. “Anyone who has seen the Chiefs play and how we defend, we’ve got a very solid foundation in that respect, so it’s just a case of me trying to add to that in my new role.”
And in moving away from the confines of the Chiefs changing room to that of the coaching office, Salvi says he expects an interesting first week.
“For the past three years I’ve been used to coming in the tunnel and turning left into the changing room, now it’s going to be turn right instead!
“I’m sure a few of the older boys will get stuck into me that first couple of days, but all of us are here at the end of the day to make the team succeed and be the best we can. They know the standards I demand of myself and that of team-mates from when I played alongside them, so it will be no different when it comes to coaching and training.
“As I said, it’s an exciting challenge for me, but one that I am really looking forward to. Having had that experience of coaching down with Plymouth, that was invaluable to me and really helped to give me a real insight into things moving forward.”