England flanker Roots' 126kg brother heading for Premiership - report

England flanker Ethan Roots is set to be joined by his brother Jimmy Roots at Exeter Chiefs next season, according to the BBC.

The former New Zealand U20 tighthead prop, 24, has spent the last three seasons at Ealing Trailfinders in the Championship, having joined from North Harbour in 2021, but will move up a division at the end of the current campaign by signing for the Chiefs.

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter said the prop has “huge potential” ahead of his reported arrival at Sandy Park next season. 

“He looks like a guy with huge potential and a passion for the sport,” Baxter said, as reported by the BBC.

“He’s got a lot of things to work on, he’s a young tight-head prop, but when I watch him play he likes to play rugby, he likes to run into people in attack and defence.

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“Sometimes it can be that simple, guys who just want to get out and play rugby and run around and get on with things, that often can be your big quality, that can be your defining quality to becoming a good player.

“At the end of the day what you have to do is get on a training field and train hard and then you have to go on a rugby field and play hard and I think that’s what Jimmy will do.”

Ethan Roots made the move to the Gallagher Premiership from the United Rugby Championship’s Ospreys at the beginning of the season, having previously represented the Crusaders and North Harbour in New Zealand.

The loose forward qualified for England through his father and, after an impressive first few months in the Premiership, made Steve Borthwick’s squad for the Guinness Six Nations this year. He earned his first cap in the opening match of the Championship against Italy in Rome, being named player of the match in the 27-24 win.