Varney earns new deal after excellent start to Exeter career

Exeter and Italian international scrum-half Stephen Varney has signed a new contract with the club, just four months into his first season as a Chief.

Varney has enjoyed an impressive start to his Chiefs career, playing in eight out of 13 games so far this season, with the Devon club riding high in second place in the Gallagher PREM table.

“I’m delighted to be re-signing with Chiefs. Although I’ve only been here for this season, it’s been a place I’ve really enjoyed from day one,” he said.

“The group of players, the staff, and the supporters have made it a special environment to be part of, and I’ve felt welcomed from the moment I arrived.

“I’m excited about what’s ahead and what this club can achieve moving forward, and I’m looking forward to continuing the journey and seeing what’s next for us as a group.”

The announcement comes in the aftermath of a try-scoring performance for the scrum-half in Chiefs’ momentous victory over Saracens at the StoneX Stadium.

With previous experience in the league with Gloucester from 2019 to 2024, the 24-year-old has slotted into the Chiefs environment seamlessly, forming a half-back partnership with Harvey Skinner.

On the international stage, since debuting for Italy in the autumn of 2020, he has gained 36 caps. Most recently, he was named player of the match in the Azzurri’s opening match of the 2025 Quilter Nations Series against Australia.

Director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “We’re thrilled Stephen is extending his contract. He came here for a year to see how things go and he’s had a fantastic impact for us so far this season.

“You can see he’s a quality player and he’s been an important part of why we’ve gone well. His individual skills of passing, kicking and reading the game partnered with his great pace have been key.

“He’s clearly very passionate about doing well for the club and doing well for his teammates. He’s fully invested in what is going on. He’s probably the guy who celebrates tries harder than anyone else, and that’s fantastic to see that we’ve got players who are passionate about what we’re doing. So, I think he’s a very important signing for us going forward.”