Zambonin to miss start of 2026/27 season

Exeter Chiefs lock Andrea Zambonin will miss the beginning of the 2026/27 season having undergone shoulder surgery following the Nations Championship.

The Italian international played 27 games, including the Gallagher PREM Final, in his maiden season in Devon as he established a strong second-row partnership with Dafydd Jenkins.

Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “Unfortunately, Andrea returned from Italy’s summer games with a niggling shoulder issue that, upon further inspection, was deemed serious enough to require an operation.

“His recovery timescale looks like he won’t be available until after the autumn international block.”

Similarly, winger Paul Brown-Bampoe is not expected to be available for selection until October. The 24-year-old had surgery on his heel in the off-season and is now in a rehab period with the Chiefs medical team.

Elsewhere, Jenkins is recovering well from his shoulder surgery and could be available for the start of the PREM season should he continue his positive progression.

Baxter said: “For Dafydd, our hope and expectations are that he’ll be back and available for the start of the PREM campaign.

“Then Jack Yeandle and Max Norey, who were both injured in the last block of games of last season, are beginning to reach the end stages of their rehab processes now, so we’ll hopefully see them play some part in one of the pre-season games.”

Chiefs’ pre-season games begin with Scarlets at Sandy Park on Saturday, 5 September and conclude with a trip to Cardiff Rugby on Saturday, 19 September.