Player interview: Kane James reflects on the last 18 months

It was just 18 months ago that back-rower Kane James was preparing for his Exeter Chiefs debut in the Gallagher PREM. Last weekend, he lined up in the back-row as two of his closest friends and teammates prepared to make their own first league appearances.

Hooker Louie Gulley and second-row Oscar Beckerleg were both named on the bench for Chiefs’ first round fixture against Gloucester Rugby as the 2026/27 league season got underway at Sandy Park.

James spoke in the stands of the stadium ahead of the game.

He said: “Louie and I live together, so it’s really pretty special. We’re really good mates, and he’s worked very hard to get to this point, likewise with Oscar and Joe. I’m very excited to play with them.

“It’ll be a very special day for Louie especially, in front of all his family. I think pretty much everyone in Crediton will be here! So that’ll be cool. Same for Oscar and Joe, it’s such a special day, so hopefully we can make it a great day for them all.”

It was 14 weeks ago that Chiefs played their last game of the 2025/26 season – the 2026 Gallagher PREM Final – and only a fortnight on from the completion of their shortened, four-week long gruelling pre-season.

How then has James had time to fully compute everything the squad achieved last season? Especially as he was engrossed in a highly competitive back-row which was brimming with international talent.

He said: “Last season was very eventful! I was very lucky to be a part of that team.

“I definitely learned a little something from all of them [his fellow back-rowers]. I think we all offer something a little different. We’ve all got our own unique selling points. It’s cool to learn off all those boys.

“Rootsy [Ethan Roots] is very violent, Ross [Vintcent] is rapid, Greg [Fisilau] has got great skills and Hoops [Tom Hooper] is a bit of a nause, isn’t he? So yeah, everyone offers a difference and it’s great to see those little nuances in each player.”

As much as he praises his teammates, it was James’ own burgeoning talent which caught the eye of new Wales head coach Steve Tandy and his team. In June, the 21-year-old received the news every player hopes to hear – he was being called up to his first ever men’s international squad.

He recalls: “I can remember the call. It was pretty exciting. My hands were shaking while I was on the phone! As soon as the conversation was done, I was phoning all my family to let them know.It’s my mum and dad’s dream to follow the Welsh rugby team around the world, so they were pretty ecstatic!”

Such was their enthusiasm that, when James was informed he would be making his debut against Argentina in the Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario on July 11, his dad undertook an arduous journey all the way from Wales to San Juan. It certainly wasn’t a direct route!

James laughs: “My dad drove to Heathrow, then flew to Barcelona, onto Rio, then over to Buenos Aires. From there, he then had to get an hour and a half taxi from one airport to another to be able to fly another couple hours to San Juan. So, he probably went on the journey from hell just to watch me play.”

It was a worthy cause. James took to the field in the 66th minute to replace Aaron Wainwright who, poetically, had also made his Wales debut in the same city eight years before.

He said: “It was very special. It was different because it was just us kind of in our own little bubble. There weren’t too many fans able to get over there. It was cool to be a part of the group, and the boys made it really special for me since it was kind of just us there.”

James is no stranger to competing against the highest calibre of back-row players. The Chiefs pack has a wealth of PREM and international experience in it’s ranks. With some new faces sprinkled in this year, including Harry Wilson from Saracens and Obinna Nkwocha from Worcester Warriors, there is a new unit forming amongst the players again.

James agrees: “There’s so much fluidity between us all, we all can cover one another’s role. If there’s any sort of doubt in anyone’s mind, we can fill in each position. So in the starting line-up or on the bench, most of us can switch between six, seven or eight. There’s a lot of similarity in our roles, but we all offer something different to inject a bit of variety too.”

Variety could be key to Chiefs trying to once more go the distance and find themselves competing in another domestic final. What has been the key message from coaches for this season’s squad?

He explained: “The goal is obviously to go one step further on last season and bring home the trophy this year. Overall though, it’s just about working hard for each other. When we’re working hard is when things seem to work out in our favour.

“The main messages are to fight for each other, put fight into every action, and winning every moment. Rob says this all the time, ‘you never know which moment is going to be the most important’, so fighting for them all is only going to help the team.”

The squad know one of the biggest hurdles to get over will be securing their first home result of the season. The Prem is a fiercely competitive league and every point collected on home turf is pivotal. James said the atmosphere created by Chiefs supporters at Sandy Park will undoubtably add to the mission, starting this weekend against Gloucester.

He smiled: “I honestly can’t wait. There’s no feeling that really compares to playing in front of a packed-out Sandy Park. I remember the Christmas game last year was just incredible. Seeing a close to full, if not full, Sandy Park would be amazing for this first week.”