Exeter Chiefs to bring season to a close with 15 departures

Exeter Chiefs have confirmed their list of 15 players that will leave the club at the end of the season.

The Chiefs will bring the curtain down on what has been a dismal campaign on Saturday against Sale Sharks at Sandy Park, and will bid farewell to stalwarts such as scrum-half Stu Townsend and back-row Jacques Vermeulen.

The pair are two of five players that will make a move within the Gallagher Premiership, with Townsend set to fill the void left by Danny Care at Harlequins, while Vermeulen will make the move north to join his opponents on Saturday.

Hookers Dan Frost and Jack Innard will be making moves to West Country rivals, with the former to join Bath and the latter to join Gloucester. Saracens-bound tighthead prop Marcus Street will complete the quintet of intra-league moves.

Three members of the squad will step down a division to the newly branded Champ Rugby, with scrum-half Sam Maunder joining Coventry, the dual-registered centre Chester Ribbons making his move to Cornish Pirates permanent and Billy Keast committing to the Worcester Warriors project ahead of their return to professional rugby.

Fixture

Gallagher Premiership

Exeter Chiefs

26 - 30

Full-time

Sale

All Stats and Data

The United Rugby Championship will also welcome two Chiefs, with Wales centre Joe Hawkins to join the Scarlets and his midfield team-mate Charlie McCaig heading for the Scottish capital.

Argentina lock Franco Molina, scrum-half Niall Armstrong, lock Jack Dunne and back-row Hallam Chapman will all depart Sandy Park, though their next destinations are yet to be confirmed.

The cohort’s final member is lock Eoin O’Connor, who is set to retire.

“I’d like to thank all the players leaving us for being a part of the Chiefs journey,” said Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter.

“They have all contributed to our environment and I know I speak for everyone at the club when I say that we wish them all the very best in the future.”