1
Aussie Mitch Lees leaving Exeter for stint in French Top 14
Mitch Lees is leaving Exeter Chiefs and for newly promoted French Top 14 side Brive ahead of the new 2019/20 season.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 30-year-old Australian departs having spent the past five years at Sandy Park where he has amassed 113 appearances, scoring eight tries in the process.
Brought to the club during the summer of 2014 from London Welsh, Lees quickly established himself as a prominent figure in the Chiefs pack.
His on-field form was rewarded at the end of the 2015/16 season when he was part of the England Saxons squad for their summer tour to South Africa, while he has featured in three of Exeter’s four Premiership final appearances, including in 2017 when the club won the competition for the first time.
Last season, however, injuries and form meant Lees was restricted to just 14 appearances in all competitions, the last of which came against Bath in the Gallagher Premiership back in March.
?- @ExeterChiefs can confirm that @MLees88 is to leave the club with immediate effect to take up new challenge with @CABriveRugby – a great servant to the club over the five years he has been with us. All the Best Mitch ??https://t.co/zTdlAOfWPO pic.twitter.com/bvDyOIlgRL
— Exeter Chiefs (@ExeterChiefs) July 10, 2019
Commenting on the move, Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter, said: “Mitch didn’t get a lot of game time last season due to injuries and the form of others. We sat down with him recently and discussed looking at all options for the new season.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Brive have shown an interest in Mitch, he has been over there, he has talked to them, carried out a medical and between the various parties, we have all agreed to release Mitch from his contract with immediate effect.
“Obviously, Mitch goes with our very best wishes and we thank him for all his efforts over the years. He has played a large part in our recent successes – and he’s been very much part of a club who have developed into one of the top sides in English rugby.”
Lees added: “I’ve really enjoyed my time at Exeter over the last five seasons. My family and I have made some life-long friends and we’ll miss the club and the community.
84 matchs joués en Premiership Rugby, Champion d'Angleterre 2017, joueur cadre des Chiefs d'Exeter ces cinq dernières années, bienvenue à Mitch Lees, nouvelle recrue en deuxième-ligne ! Plus d'infos ici : https://t.co/zEhsrF2TFA #WEARECAB ???? pic.twitter.com/GUTnRJ60h3
— CA Brive Rugby (@CABCLRUGBY) July 10, 2019
“I wish the whole team the best success for the upcoming season. They are a special group of lads who deserve to continue to be one of the best teams in the Premiership.”
ADVERTISEMENT
WATCH: The new RugbyPass documentary exploring the life and times of Fijian legend Nemani Nadolo
Comments on RugbyPass
The side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
4 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
4 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
4 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
4 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to comments