Exeter Chiefs facts for kids
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| Full name | Exeter Rugby Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union | Devon RFU | |||
| Founded | 1871 | |||
| Location | Exeter, Devon, England | |||
| Ground(s) | Sandy Park (Capacity: 15,600) | |||
| Chairman | Tony Rowe OBE | |||
| CEO | Tony Rowe OBE | |||
| Director of Rugby | Rob Baxter | |||
| Captain(s) | Jack Yeandle & Dafydd Jenkins | |||
| Most appearances | Ben Moon (300) | |||
| Top scorer | Gareth Steenson (2,531) | |||
| Most tries | Sam Simmonds (85) | |||
| League(s) | Premiership Rugby | |||
| 2023–24 | 7th | |||
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| Official website | ||||
The Exeter Chiefs (officially called Exeter Rugby Club) is a professional rugby union team from England. They are based in Exeter, Devon. The team plays in Premiership Rugby, which is the top rugby league in England.
The club started in 1871. Since 2006, they have played their home games at Sandy Park. This stadium was built especially for them on the edge of the city. The team has been known as the Chiefs since 1999. In 2010, the club was promoted to the Premiership for the first time.
Since then, the Chiefs have become one of the best teams in the Premiership. They have won the championship title twice. Their wins were in the 2016–17 and 2019–20 seasons. They also reached the finals four other times. In October 2020, the Chiefs won the Champions Cup. This is the biggest prize in European club rugby. They beat the French team Racing 92 in the final. This tournament was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Exeter is the only club to win the top four levels of English rugby. They won the Premiership in 2017 and 2020. They also won the RFU Championship in 2010, National League 1 in 1997, and National League 2 South in 1996. They have won the Anglo-Welsh Cup/Premiership Rugby Cup three times. Their most recent win was in 2022–23. They won the European Rugby Champions Cup once, in 2020.
The current director of rugby is Rob Baxter. He took on this role in March 2009.
Contents
A Look at Exeter Chiefs' History
How the Club Began
Exeter Rugby Club was founded in 1871. The club played its first match in 1873 against St. Luke's College. In 1890, they won the Devon Cup. In 1905, the club hosted the first match played by the New Zealand team in England. This game was at the County Ground. It was after this game that New Zealand became known as the "All Blacks".
When league rugby started, Exeter first played in the Devon leagues.
Moving Up the Leagues
In 1993 and 1995, Exeter reached the quarter-finals of the Pilkington Cup. They were knocked out by top teams like Leicester Tigers and London Wasps.
In 1997, Exeter was promoted to the Premiership Two. They often finished in the top half of the table. In 2005, Exeter finished second in the league. They just missed out on being promoted to the top division. The next season, they moved from the County Ground to Sandy Park. This was because they needed more modern facilities. In 2008 and 2009, they again finished second and missed out on promotion.
Reaching the Premiership
In 2009, National Division One became the RFU Championship with playoffs. Exeter finished second in the regular season. In the playoffs, they beat Bedford Blues and Nottingham. Then, they faced Bristol in a two-game final. Exeter won the first game 9–6 at Sandy Park. They won the second game 29–10 at Bristol's Memorial Stadium. This win meant they were promoted to the Premiership for the first time!
In their first Premiership season, they finished eighth. They also played in the European Challenge Cup for the first time. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to Stade Français. The next season, they finished fifth in the Premiership. This allowed them to play in the Heineken Cup for the first time. In 2014, Exeter Chiefs won their first major trophy. They beat Northampton Saints 15–8 in the Anglo-Welsh Cup final at Sandy Park.
Recent Successes
In the 2015–16 season, the Chiefs finished second in Premiership Rugby. This meant they played a home semi-final against Wasps. They won that match 34-23. This led them to their first Premiership final on May 28. They lost 28–20 to Saracens.
The Chiefs also reached the quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup in 2015–16. They lost a very close game 25–24 to Wasps.
In 2016–17, the Chiefs won the Premiership for the first time ever! They beat Wasps 23–20 in the final. The game went into extra time, and captain Gareth Steenson kicked a penalty to win.
The Chiefs finished first in the 2017–18 season. But they lost to Saracens 27–10 in the final.
The 2019–20 season was their most successful yet. They won a historic "double" (two major titles). They won the European Rugby Champions Cup and the Premiership.
Before the 2022–23 season, the club revealed a new logo. This happened after some discussions about their old logo (see below).
In the 2023–2024 season, Exeter finished 7th. They reached the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup. They also reached the semi-finals of the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Home Ground: Sandy Park
Exeter Chiefs play their home games at Sandy Park. This stadium is on the edge of the city. The club moved there in 2006. Before that, they played at the County Ground since 1905.
In 2002, Exeter Chiefs started looking for a new stadium. The County Ground was not big enough for the club to grow. Even though some people in the club didn't want to move, 99% of members voted to move. Sandy Park can hold 15,600 fans. There are plans to make it even bigger in the future.
Logos and Team Kits
Current Kit
The team's uniform is made by Samurai Rugby Gear. Many different companies have their logos on the shirt and shorts.
The Logo Story
In 1999, Exeter Rugby Club became semi-professional. They changed their name to Exeter Chiefs. They started using a logo of a man wearing a headdress. The team had been called the Chiefs since the 1930s.
In 2016, some fans were asked to change their behavior. There were worries that using Native American images could be offensive.
In July 2020, a group of Exeter Chiefs supporters asked the club to stop using "racist Native American imagery." They compared using headdresses and the "tomahawk chop" chant to blackface. A petition quickly gained many signatures. Exeter's local MP, Ben Bradshaw, also supported the change.
By July 29, the club's board of directors discussed the issue. They decided their branding was "highly respectful." However, they did stop using their mascot, Big Chief, because it "could be regarded as disrespectful." Many people felt this decision was not enough.
In October 2021, another rugby club, Wasps, asked the RFU to decide on the issue. They discouraged Exeter fans from wearing Native American-style headdresses. In November 2021, the National Congress of American Indians wrote an open letter. They asked Exeter to drop their logo, headdresses, and names like 'Wigwam Bar'. They said these things continued "dehumanising stereotypes."
On January 27, 2022, the club announced they would stop using the Native American branding in July 2022. The club now uses images that show the Iron Age tribe called the Dumnonii.
Club Achievements
Exeter Chiefs
- European Rugby Champions Cup
- Champions: (1) 2019–20
- Premiership Rugby
- Champions: (2) 2016–17, 2019–20
- Runners–Up: (4) 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020-21
- Anglo-Welsh Cup /Premiership Rugby Cup
- Champions: (3) 2013–14, 2017–18, 2022–23
- Runners–Up: (2) 2014–15, 2016–17
- RFU Championship
- Champions: (1) 2009–10
- Runners–Up: (3) 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09
- National League 1
- Champions: (1) 1996–97
- National League 2 South
- Champions: (1) 1995–96
- EDF Energy Trophy
- Runners–Up: (4) 2001–02, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08
- Devon RFU Senior Cup (tier 5)
- Champions: (16) 1889–90, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96
- Runners–Up: (5) 1888-89, 1904-05, 1976-77,1980–81, 1985–86
- Devon RFU Junior Cup
- Champions: (1) 1905–06 (reserve side)
- Runners–Up: (4) 1903–04 (reserve side)
Exeter Braves
- Premiership Rugby Shield
- Champions: (2) 2011–12, 2015–16
Current Players
The Exeter Chiefs team for the 2024–25 season includes:
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
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Academy Squad
The Exeter Chiefs Academy team includes:
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
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Club Staff
First Team Coaching
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Director of Rugby |  Rob Baxter |
| Team manager |  Tony Walker |
| Head coach | Ali Hepher |
| Forwards coach | Rob Hunter |
| Defence coach |  Julian Salvi |
| Skills coach | Ricky Pellow |
Academy
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Academy manager | Rob Gibson |
| Senior academy coach | Haydn Thomas |
Famous Former Players
Lions Players
These players toured with the Lions while playing for Exeter:
- 2017: Jack Nowell, Tomas Francis
- 2021: Stuart Hogg, Sam Simmonds, Jonny Hill, Luke Cowan-Dickie
Rugby World Cup Players
The following players played for their countries at the Rugby World Cup while they were with Exeter:
| Tournament | Players selected | England players | Other national team players |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 3 | - | Richard Liddington  , Siaosi Vaili, Opeta Palepoi  |
| 2011 | 3 | - | Gonzalo Camacho  , Junior Poluleuligaga , Craig Mitchell  |
| 2015 | 7 | Geoff Parling, Jack Nowell, Henry Slade | Tomas Francis , Chrysander Botha  , Elvis Taione  , Michele Campagnaro  |
| 2019 | 6 | Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jack Nowell, Henry Slade | Stuart Hogg  , Nic White , Tomas Francis |
| 2023 | 3 | Dafydd Jenkins, Christ Tshiunza , Nika Abuladze  |
See also
In Spanish: Exeter Chiefs para niños
