Exeter Chiefs confirm replacement coach following shock sacking

11/07/2024 01:40 PM

Exeter Chiefs' director of rugby, Rob Baxter, has placed his faith in familiar hands. Enter Haydn Thomas, the former Chiefs scrum-half, who steps up to fix a leaking defense that's been Exeter's Achilles' heel this season.

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Thomas takes over from Omar Mouneimne, who was sacked last week after a brutal start that saw Baxter's side lose all six of their Premiership matches, conceding a staggering 176 points.

From Backs to Brilliance?

≈ isn't just any coach. While serving as Exeter's backs and attack coach, he also built his resume with England A and helped shape the defensive structure of Exeter University's team, which feeds talent into the Chiefs' ranks.

Defensive Masterclass

Baxter spoke highly of Thomas' defensive acumen. "I watched the England Under 20s game as we had a lot of player involvement, and they showed really good defensive qualities," Baxter shared with BBC Radio Devon. "That's Haydn's area of expertise."

Fresh Approach

What sets Thomas apart from his predecessor? "He's got a good way of putting things over to the players," Baxter praised. "His perspective on defense is slightly different from Omar's and fits more with what we envision, whether it's in attack, kick chase, or how we link the game together."

Keeping It Simple

For Baxter, the decision was clear. "Promoting Haydn into this role just made sense," he added. Time will tell if this new direction turns Exeter's fortunes around.

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