CHANCE FOR CHIEFS YOUNG STARS TO SHINE

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Created on Thursday, 16 June 2011 11:42

Published on Thursday, 16 June 2011 11:42

Exeter Chiefs are planning to send their future stars out on loan to the region's Championship clubs next season.

Youngsters Jon Vickers, Herbie Stupple and Addison Lockley are set to team up with Plymouth Albion, while Sam Hill, Lloyd Fairbrother and Dave Ewers are ear-marked to join Cornish Pirates, where Chiefs hooker Tom Cowan-Dickie will again continue on dual registered forms as he did last season.

With the Aviva Premiership A League programme curtailed this year because of the impending Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, the Chiefs are keen to ensure that their potential stars of the future continue to develop.

Last season Cowan-Dickie and Drew Locke both spent a successful spell with the highly-successful Pirates in the RFU Championship - and others such as Stupple and Charlie Walker-Blair (both Taunton), Lockley and Jack Andrew (both Cornish All Blacks), Fairbrother and Jack Nowell (both Redruth) all benefitted from National League experience.

Chiefs’ team manager Robin Cowling said: "It's a super opportunity for all of them. Last season we clearly saw the benefits from seeing a few of the lads go out on loan to clubs like the Pirates, Taunton, Redruth and the All Blacks. This year we are looking to expand on that structure by allowing a few of the academy lads to dual register with Championship clubs.

"Dual registration for players like this is a 'win-win situation' for not only ourselves and the players, but also for the clubs that they are going to be joining. For them to go away and experience life in the Championship can only be a good thing and it will help make the step up to Premiership level that little bit easier."

New, full-time academy recruits Nowell, Hill, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Will Carrick-Smith and Henry Slade are set to join Chiefs from the start of pre-season later this month.

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