Premiership
Coaches agree new long-term deals
By Mark Stevens
7/12/22
Exeter Chiefs Chief Executive Tony Rowe OBE has spoken of his delight after it was confirmed that four of his senior coaching staff have today agreed new long-term deals with the Gallagher Premiership club.
Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, together with head coach Ali Hepher, forwards coach Rob Hunter and skills coach Ricky Pellow have all put pen to paper, ensuring they will be driving the club forward in the future.
Baxter, Hepher and Pellow have all been part of the club’s coaching staff since the 2009/10 season, while Hunter has been in his role since joining from the England Under-20s set-up in 2013.
Together the quartet have overseen some of the club’s greatest triumphs, including a Heineken Champions Cup win, two Premiership Rugby titles, as well as two domestic cup successes. They have also unearthed a wealth of talent, many of whom have featured prominently both for the Chiefs and on the international stage.
Commenting on the news, Rowe said: “I’m delighted that we have been able to secure the futures of four of our core coaches here at the club. As a collective they have been instrumental in the rise of the club in recent season, helping bringing a genuine level of on-field success.
“Having spoken with all of them, I know they share the same vision as myself of driving the club onto even greater things in the coming years. As a group they have a real connection with one another and I know that they believe they can continue to build on what they have created.”
Baxter has been with the club since a young boy, starting out initially as a ball-boy at the old County Ground to playing for the Colts, then captaining the first team. With over 300 appearances for the club, it has been his vision as a coach that has further enhanced his stellar status.
He said: “Obviously, I’m very pleased to have signed a long-term contract extension, but I’m particularly delighted that three of the senior staff have agreed similar deals. Not only is it good news for us personally, but it’s great that the club are backing us to keep producing not only good rugby, but good players and, hopefully, success for the club.
“Over the years we have achieved a lot together, but I think I speak for all of us when I say we are all hungry to achieve more. Believe it or not, we take it pretty personally when the team don’t perform like we should and that’s the motivating factor for all of us.
“I’ve obviously got a close affiliation to the club, my family have got a close affiliation to the club, it works for me family-wise. It really bothers me and hurts me when we don’t play to our potential, and we haven’t done that now for 18 months. I’m very determined and very driven to get us back to playing a lot closer to our potential than we are at the moment.”
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Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.
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Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO).
Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men.
In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy.
The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont.
With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8.
Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.
Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter.
Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs.
Sale Sharks starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu.
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Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports).
Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins.
With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy.
In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews.
Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.
Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark.
The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs.
Sale Sharks Starting lineup:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison.
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