Yahoo News Exeter Chiefs confirm 23 players have left the club ahead of the 2024/25 season
After weeks of contract announcements, retirements and departures, Exeter Chiefs have confirmed 23 players have left the club ahead of next season.
Previous headline departures have been club stalwarts Alec Hepburn and Ollie Devoto, along with Scotland international Jonny Gray, and today Chiefs confirmed that Georgian international prop Nika Abuladze will leave mid-contract to join Montpellier. England and Scotland international Hepburn is joining the Scarlets next season while lock Gray is expected to join Bordeaux Begles. Centre Devoto’s future destination is unknown after the 30-year-old was not offered a new deal at Sandy Park.
Chiefs director of Rugby Rob Baxter paid tribute to the contribution of all those who have moved on, saying: “I’d like to thank all the players for being a part of the journey with our squad and for being in the Chiefs Family. They were all good teammates to have in our environment and we wish them all the very best in the future.”
Centre Tom Hendrickson left the club earlier in the season to head out to Japan while Rory O’Loughlin, Matt Postlethwaite and Iestyn Harris have all sadly been forced to retire due to injuries.
Aidon Davis returns to South Africa to re-join the Toyota Cheetahs. Fin Richardson and Patrick Schickerling will be teammates once more having both confirmed a move to Glasgow Warriors while Danny Southworth and Oli Burrows both head to Wales to feature in the United Rugby Championship next season.
Corey Teague, Harry Hocking and James Kenny have confirmed themselves as RFU Championship players next season – with Doncaster Knights, Cornish Pirates and Ealing Trailfinders – as Frankie Nowell and Joe Snow have made the move to Australia for game-time in the Schute Shield.
In the younger ranks, the leavers include Arthur Relton, Toby Clinch, Jacob Morris, Jeremy Tuima, and Ben Grubb.
Full list of departing Exeter Chiefs players:
Alec Hepburn
Ollie Devoto
Jonny Gray
Nika Abuladze
Tom Hendrickson
Rory O’Loughlin
Matt Postlethwaite
Iestyn Harris
Aidon Davis
Matt Richardson
Patrick Schickerling
Danny Southworth
Oli Burrows
Corey Teague
Harry Hocking
James Kenny
Frankie Nowell
Joe Snow
Arthur Relton
Toby Clinch
Jacob Morris
Jeremy Tuima
Ben Grubb.
