Rob Baxter 'proud' to sign new contract to remain as Exeter Chiefs director of rugby - 'I'm delighted'
Published 02/04/2026 at 14:40 GMT+1
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Exeter Chiefs have announced that Rob Baxter is staying on at the club as director of rugby. Baxter has been with the Chiefs since 2009, having played and captained the team to boot. He has already led them to two Premiership titles, as well as a Champions Cup. His appointment comes with Exeter Chiefs currently lying fourth in the Gallagher PREM and with a European tie against Munster this month.
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Rob Baxter has signed a new contract to remain at Exeter Chiefs as their director of rugby.
Baxter has been at the helm in some form or other since 2009, overseeing a huge era of stability that has taken the club back into the top flight and won them plenty of honours along the way.
With Exeter playing well this season and looking set to be involved in the Gallagher PREM play-offs once again, his new contract arrives at a perfect time.
”I’m delighted to have signed a contract extension. I’ve been involved here a long time, had some fantastic experiences and some tough ones along the way too, though thankfully those have been few and far between," Baxter said in a club statement.
”To have the club be happy to extend my time here makes me proud. The key thing for me is how excited I am and how enthused I am to work with the current crop of players we have here at Chiefs as well as the players we’ve already signed for next season, the young academy players coming through our pathway, and the group of coaches.
”I can really see a bright future for the club. I genuinely feel we’re going to be a club challenging others at the right end of the PREM, and hopefully, we’ll grow into a team who battles it out in the latter stages of European competition in the future too."
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Baxter spent his entire playing career with Exeter, and captained the side before moving into coaching.
He was initially appointed to the top role following the removal of Pete Drewett in 2009, and has led the Chiefs to plenty of success over the past 17 years.
Exeter are two-time Premiership champions under Baxter’s watch, most recently in 2019-2020. That season, his team also won the Champions Cup, beating Racing 92.
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Exeter Chiefs players celebrate winning during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby final match between Exeter Chiefs and Wasps at Sandy Park on October 24, 2020
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Tony Rowe, the club's chief executive and chairman, said: ”Rob has been front and centre of the growth of this club, having helped build its foundations as a player. He is an Exeter Chiefs man through and through and has led us through some of our most memorable moments.
”He has also built a new coaching team and a young squad that are already keen and able to compete at the top level. It will be exciting to see where he can take them in the next few years.”
Chiefs currently sit fourth in the Gallagher PREM table, one point behind Leicester Tigers and so are headed for the play-offs as it stands. Northampton Saints lead the way from Bath.
Exeter next play Munster in the European Challenge Cup, before taking on league leaders Northampton at home and then Gloucester away.
Watch and stream the Gallagher PREM and Premiership Women's Rugby on TNT Sports and HBO Max
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