Tshiunza delighted to have completed first full Chiefs pre-season

Exeter Chiefs lock Christ Tshiunza has just finished his first full pre-season in Devon and is extremely positive about the trajectory he and his teammates are headed in.

Since signing for the club in 2021, Tshiunza has spent all his previous summers either in the rehabilitation room prepping for an injury return or on international duty with Wales.

“This is actually the first summer of my career that I’ve been fit for the whole period,” Tshiunza said. “I’ve been very grateful for that. It’s allowed me to express myself on the pitch.

“I feel a lot more confident in myself and I’m backing myself in training as a result. I think some of the key aspects of why Rob signed me in the first place – movement around the park, my athleticism and my lineout abilities – are coming out strongly.”

After a tough 2024/25 season, director of rugby Rob Baxter made it clear that Chiefs would return to their roots of an aggressive pre-season programme to ensure peak fitness and clear messaging throughout the squad.

The Welshman explains that he’s pushed himself to progress through the toughest parts of the recently completed second block.

“I would say the hardest part has probably been our running sessions. We do those at the end of rugby sessions which makes the running more of a mental challenge to see who, after all the rugby, can step up and lead the fitness sessions.

“We’ve got boys like Jack Yeandle and he’s just relentless. He leads from the front and it’s important to have people like that because they can push you to your limit knowing that they’re pushing themselves to theirs. It inspires a little more in you to catch up to them.

“I’ve learned a lot from people like him and I now find myself trying to help lead the charge in those sessions.”

There are numerous new faces settling in to training and life in Devon, but Tshiunza says it feels as though they are familiar already. He believes the coaching staff’s approach to instilling core values in the squad has been key to the new bonds being built.

“Ross McMillan has done a great job of ensuring we get to know each other and connect as a group. We all come from different backgrounds, different countries, we all speak different languages, but the coaches have made a great effort to make sure we’re connected.

“If you look at the DNA of being an Exeter Chief, we historically come from a hardworking group of men that do the basics well. Rob [Baxter] has really pushed that messaging from the start of pre-season this year. We want those to remain our core values, so boys are really excited to get into games with that in mind.”

After a block of games on the road in the Prem Cup to open the season, Chiefs return to Sandy Park for their home curtain raiser against Newcastle Red Bulls in round two of the Gallagher PREM.

The prospect of running out to that home crowd for the first time this season is one which Tshiunza is relishing.

“I think it will be incredible. We’ve put big expectations on ourselves, which we should. And I think the fans have put big expectations on us as well, which they should. Now, it’s all about meeting that.

“We’re going to create our own buzz, and I know the fans are going to create theirs too. We’re just hoping that we can rise to the occasion.”

Tickets for Chiefs’ first home fixture are available on the club ticket hub here.