Exeter Chiefs facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Exeter Rugby

Full name	Exeter Rugby Club
Union	Devon RFU
Founded	1871; 154 years ago (1871)
Location	Exeter, Devon, England
Ground(s)	Sandy Park (Capacity: 15,600)
Chairman	Tony Rowe
CEO	Tony Rowe
Director of Rugby	Rob Baxter
Captain(s)	Dafydd Jenkins
Most appearances	Ben Moon (300)
Top scorer	Gareth Steenson (2,531)
Most tries	Sam Simmonds (85)
League(s)	Premiership Rugby
2024–25	9th
1st kit 2nd kit 3rd kit
Official website

The Exeter Chiefs (officially called Exeter Rugby Club) is a professional rugby union team from Exeter, Devon, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, which is England's top rugby league.

The club started in 1871. Since 2006, they have played their home games at Sandy Park. This stadium was built just 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 league. They won the championship title twice, in the 2016–17 and 2019–20 seasons. They also reached the final 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.

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, most recently 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.

Club History

How Exeter Rugby Started

Exeter Rugby Club was founded in 1871. Their first match was in 1873 against St. Luke's College. In 1890, they won the Devon Cup.

In 1905, the club hosted a special match at the County Ground. It was the first time the New Zealand team played on English soil. After this game, the New Zealand team became known as the "All Blacks". When league rugby began, Exeter first played in the Devon leagues.

Moving Up the Leagues

In 1997, Exeter was promoted to the Premiership Two for the first time. They often finished in the top half of the table. In 2005, Exeter finished second in their league. They just missed out on being promoted to the top division.

The next season, in 2006, they moved from the County Ground to Sandy Park. This new stadium had better facilities. In 2008 and 2009, they again finished second in the league but missed promotion.

Joining the Premiership

In 2009, the league was changed to 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 stadium. This win promoted them to the Premiership for the first time!

In their first Premiership season (2010–11), they finished eighth. They also played in the European Challenge Cup for the first time. They reached the quarter-finals before losing to Stade Français. The next season, they finished fifth in the Premiership. This allowed them to play in the Heineken Cup (now Champions 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 the Premiership. They reached their first Premiership final but lost 28–20 to Saracens. They also reached the quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup that season.

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. However, they lost to Saracens in the final.

The 2019–20 season was their most successful. They won an amazing "double" by winning both the European Rugby Champions Cup and the Premiership.

In the 2023–2024 season, Exeter finished 7th. They reached the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup and the semi-finals of the Rugby Cup.

The 2024-25 season started tough for the Chiefs. They lost their first six Premiership games. In October 2024, they changed their defence coach. In January 2025, they had a big home defeat to Bordeaux Bègles.

Sandy Park Stadium

Exeter Chiefs play their home games at Sandy Park. It is on the edge of the city. The club moved there in 2006 from their old home, the County Ground. They had played at the County Ground since 1905.

Exeter Chiefs started looking for a new stadium in 2002. They needed more modern facilities to help the club grow. Sandy Park can hold 15,600 fans. There are plans to make it even bigger in the future.

Team Logos and Kits

Current Kit

The team's kit is made by Samurai Rugby Gear. Sika is the main sponsor for the 2024/25 season. Their logo is on the front of the shirt. Other sponsors appear on different parts of the kit, like Troy, Watson, M.J Baker Foods, Centrax, Sandy Park, Bradfords Building Supplies, SW Comms, Frobishers Juices, and Otter Brewery.

Logo Change

Chiefs logo from 1999 to 2022

In 1999, Exeter Rugby Club became semi-professional and changed its 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.

Over time, some people felt that using Native American imagery was not respectful. In July 2020, a group of supporters asked the club to stop using this imagery. They compared the use of headdresses and the "tomahawk chop" chant to blackface. A petition was started, and many people supported the change.

The club's board discussed the issue. They decided their branding was "highly respectful" but agreed to stop using their mascot, Big Chief, because it "could be regarded as disrespectful". However, many people felt this change was not enough.

In October 2021, another rugby club, Wasps, asked the RFU to look into Exeter fans wearing Native American-style headdresses. They asked fans not to wear them. In November 2021, the National Congress of American Indians wrote an open letter. They asked Exeter to change their logo, stop using headdresses, and rename places like the 'Wigwam Bar'.

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.

Season Results

Gold background means they were champions
Silver background means they were runners-up
Pink background means they were moved down a league

Club Trophies

Exeter Chiefs Main Team

• 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
• Devon RFU Junior Cup
  • Champions: (1) 1905–06 (reserve side)

Exeter Braves (Reserve Team)

• Premiership Rugby Shield
  • Champions: (2) 2011–12, 2015–16

Current Players

Here is the Exeter Chiefs squad for the 2024–25 season:

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Max Norey Hooker England Jack Yeandle Hooker England Kwenzo Blose Prop South Africa Ethan Burger Prop South Africa Will Goodrick-Clarke Prop England Josh Iosefa-Scott Prop England Ehren Painter Prop England Jimmy Roots Prop New Zealand Scott Sio Prop Australia Dafydd Jenkins Lock Wales Lewis Pearson Lock England Rus Tuima Lock England Richard Capstick Back row England Greg Fisilau Back row England Martin Moloney Back row Ireland Ethan Roots Back row England Christ Tshiunza Back row Wales Ross Vintcent Back row Italy

Player Position Union Tom Cairns Scrum-half England Will Haydon-Wood Fly-half England Harvey Skinner Fly-half England Will Rigg Centre England Henry Slade Centre England Tamati Tua Centre New Zealand Immanuel Feyi-Waboso Wing England Ben Hammersley Wing England Olly Woodburn Wing England Tom Wyatt Wing England Josh Hodge Fullback England Dan John Fullback Wales

Academy Squad

The Exeter Chiefs Academy squad helps train future players:

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Louie Gulley Hooker England Sol Moody Hooker England Elliot Young Hooker Scotland Keita Ando Prop Scotland Joe Bailey Lock England Oscar Beckerleg Lock England Alfie Bell Lock England Charlie Bell Back row England Jack Forsythe Back row England Kane James Back row Wales Finn Worley-Brady Back row England

Player Position Union Will Becconsall Scrum-half England Orson James Scrum-half Wales rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FH | name=Ben Coen}} Iwan Jenkins Fly-half Wales Louie Sinclair Fly-half England Nic Allison Centre South Africa Kian Gentry Centre England Campbell Ridl Centre England Zack Wimbush Centre England Paul Brown-Bampoe Wing England Tom Burton Fullback England

Club Staff

First Team Coaching

Role	Name
Director of Rugby	Rob Baxter
Head coach	Rob Hunter
Backs and Attack coach	Ali Hepher
Assistant Forwards coach	Ross McMillan
Skills coach	Ricky Pellow
Defence coach	Haydn Thomas

Academy

Role	Name
Academy manager	Rob Gibson

Famous Former Players

Lions Tourists

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 represented their countries at the Rugby World Cup while playing for 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