'We’re expecting an awful lot from him': Rob Baxter on new All Blacks recruit

Once-capped All Blacks inside centre Dallas McLeod admits that he is excited to be moving to the Gallagher PREM after signing a three-year contract with treble-chasing Exeter Chiefs.

McLeod, 26, won his only Test cap with a 41-minute cameo off the bench for Braydon Ennor in a 23-20 Bledisloe Cup win over Australia in Dunedin in August 2023.

He can also play outside centre and on wing, making 57 appearances for the Crusaders in Super Rugby and another 59 for his home region, Canterbury, in the NPC.

McLeod was also in the All Blacks XV squad that played England A and Uruguay in November and says that he is looking to get stuck at Sandy Park as soon as possible.

“I’m really excited for the opportunity to come and play for the Exeter Chiefs. I’ve always followed rugby in the northern hemisphere, particularly the PREM, and I really admire the way Exeter play the game.

“I cannot wait to meet all my new teammates, the coaches and the fans at Sandy Park. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in as soon as possible, “ he said.

He will be Rob Baxter’s fourth new signing for next season, following on from the return of Nika Abduladze, Will Butt from Bath and Saracens’ Harry Wilson.

Baxter admits that it is an area of his squad that needed addressing despite the signing of Butt, with Len Ikitau returning to Australia and Will Rigg joining Newcastle Red Bulls.

“Dallas is a really important signing for us. We’ve known that Len Ikitau would be returning to Australia, and with Will Rigg also leaving at the end of the season, centre is an area we’ve been looking to strengthen.

“We’ve also got Will Butt coming on board, but I think Dallas really rounds off what we can do with our midfield group. He’s a very experienced player playing in a very good, very consistently high-performing team in New Zealand.

“He’s still a player in his prime, someone who looks very consistent with high accuracy in his game. We see him as a really important part of our jigsaw puzzle going forward.

“We’re expecting an awful lot from him and from the group. With him joining Will Butt and Henry Slade, as well as the young centres we’ve seen emerging recently in the PREM Rugby Cup.

“We feel we’re developing a strong group of midfielders. Hopefully, they’ll all be part of the push for us to achieve things in the future,” said Baxter.