Sam Maunder Signs for Coventry for 2025/26 Season

Exeter Chiefs scrum half Sam Maunder has agreed a permanent move to Coventry for the 2025/26 season.

The 25-year-old Exeter-born half-back will join the RFU Championship side having spent the majority of the current season on loan at Butts Park Arena.

“I would like to thank Tony Rowe and Rob Baxter for giving me the opportunity to play for my boyhood club,” Maunder said. “It has meant the world to me.

“It’s a special group of players and staff at Chiefs and I have made lifelong friends. I’m going to miss being part of that dressing room.

“I wish everyone the very best and I’m going to be cheering them on from the Midlands. Thank you for making this place feel like home for six years.”

The local lad grew up with Chiefs in his veins as his father, Andrew, played 149 times for Chiefs while brother Jack was a Premiership and Champions Cup double winner.

A graduate of Blundell’s School in Tiverton, Maunder was hand-picked for the Chiefs Academy and soon became captain of the Chiefs’ U18 side.

The scrum half made his Chiefs debut in a Gallagher Premiership fixture against Sale Sharks in September 2018 at just 18-years of age. Since then, Maunder has made a total of 59 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Alongside his Chiefs achievements, Maunder also represented England at U18 and U20 level, being a part of the England side to compete in the 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship.

Discussing Maunder’s departure from the club, Chiefs Director of Rugby Rob Baxter wished the youngster the best of luck.

“Sam is a young man who came through our Academy, through the university and has done really well,” Baxter said.

“Unfortunately, a couple of serious injuries took away some opportunities for him and now we’re in a position where we’ve decided to head in a different direction with our scrum halves.

“Sam is someone who has played an awful lot of rugby for Exeter though and, alongside his brother Jack, he’s contributed to the success we’ve had here.

“We wish him all the best for the future and hope that things go well for him moving forward. With Coventry, he can now benefit from playing really regular rugby and who knows how that might reignite his career.”