'I'm very much an Exeter player, but I’m obviously excited that I'm going home'

Josh Hodge admits that winning a trophy or two would be the perfect way to end his Exeter Chiefs career before he makes a return move to Newcastle Red Bulls in the summer.

Hodge, one of 16 new signings the Red Bulls have made for next season, insists he remains fully focused on winning something with the Chiefs, who are hunting for silverware on three fronts.

The Chiefs, who are fifth in the Prem, face Gloucester this weekend, bidding to qualify for the knockout stages of the Prem Rugby Cup, and are in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup.

Hodge, who had just joined the club at the back end of COVID when the club were claiming the Premiership and Champions Cup double, the greatest achievement in their history, wants to end with a winner’s medal or two.

“I’m very much an Exeter player, but I’m obviously excited that I’m going back home to Newcastle, but my body is going to be on the line for Exeter Chiefs until the very last day.

“There is a lot to play for this season. I started here with two trophies, so hopefully I can leave with two trophies, maybe even three. That would be perfect.

“But we’re going to take every game as it comes and be the best version of ourselves. Winning something would be massive. It would be really big. It would be a big uplift. I’ve had a great time at Exeter, but a tough time with injuries coming at the wrong time. So to be able to leave on some silverware will be absolutely amazing.

“I think the club has just done very well for itself over the past couple of years. You know, it’s a club that’s going from strength to strength, as you can see in European competition at the moment.

“And you know, wherever we finish up, you know we’re going to be happy because we’re putting our best version of ourselves out there. And, you know, we’re going for that silverware. So yeah, it’s very positive,” he said.