Chiefs learn of end-of-season departure just days into new campaign

Exeter Chiefs have suffered their first recruitment setback of the new season, with tighthead Josh Iosefa-Scott set to move to France when his contract runs out at the end of this season.

Iosefa-Scott, 30, was a key performer as the Chiefs reached the Gallagher PREM Final last season, but next season he will play for Pro D2 promotion hopefuls Provence, according to L’Equipe.

Provence are aiming for promotion to the Top 14 after losing the ‘Access Match’ 47-24 to Perpignan last season. They have started this season with five successive wins and are unbeaten, along with Brive and leaders Oyonnax, who are two bonus points clear of the chasing pack.

Iosefa-Scott, who stands at 6ft 4in, was nominated for May’s Gallagher Player of the Month award. He arrived at Sandy Park in 2021 from the Highlanders and Waikato and could make his 100th appearance if he plays against Bath this weekend.

Touted for an England call-up last season, Hamilton-born Iosefa-Scott scored a try in the defeat by Gloucester at the weekend, and his departure will be the first blow under Black Knight Entertainment’s ownership of the Chiefs.

Fixture

Gallagher Premiership

Bath

11:45

2 Oct 26

Exeter Chiefs

All Stats and Data

Meanwhile, the Chiefs are keeping tabs on Edinburgh winger Malelili Satala, who entered the final year of his contract in July and impressed by scoring a try against Ulster on the opening evening of the United Rugby Championship season.

Satala, who is English-qualified, started his career with Leicester Tigers in the PREM Rugby Cup before also featuring for Nottingham in the Champ. He could be a replacement for Olly Woodburn if he decides to retire at the end of the season.

The Chiefs are well stocked with wingers, with Campbell Ridl, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, and Paul Brown-Bampoe among their options out wide, but they could face competition for his signature from Bristol Bears.

The Bears are also thought to be in the market for English-qualified players and are keeping tabs on his situation, especially with Louis Rees-Zammit, like Feyi-Waboso, set to miss the first few months of the season while at the Rugby World Cup.