Grondona departs the Chiefs

By Mark Stevens
23/2/23

Exeter Chiefs Director of Rob Baxter has confirmed that forward Santiago Grondona has left the club with immediate effect.

The Argentinian international has signed for French Top 14 side Pau on a medical joker until the end of the current season.

The 24-year-old, who joined the Chiefs in November 2021, has made 19 appearances for the Devon club, the most recent of which was a try-scoring display in the Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final against Sale Sharks.

Explaining the news, Baxter said: “I know for a lot of supporters it will come as a surprise, especially as he’s a popular guy, and he’s been fantastic ever since he joined us. The move, however, happened so quickly it was kind of scary.

“I had a missed call from Santi on Monday evening and just as I went to call him back, I had a call from his agent saying he has the opportunity to go to Paul as a medical joker and would I consider it. I told the agent that I wanted to chat with the coaches, but he said they he and Pau needed an answer that night as they wanted to get him involved immediately.

“Obviously, we considered it, I chatted with Santi and he was already aware that we weren’t in a position to offer him a contract for next season. With all of that, sometimes you just have to do the right thing for the right people. Yes, we need him now, especially with our back five options down because of the Six Nations, but in a positive way it does push us towards using some of our younger academy guys.

“In a way, I didn’t want to hold himback and miss this opportunity, so it was all concluded in the space of about two hours. He does, however, go with our best wishes for the future and I thank him for his contribution whilst here at the club.”

Baxter also used his briefing to quash speculation that he was signing Welsh international Joe Hawkins from the Ospreys.

He added: “I don’t know where these things start, but it’s purely gossip. Yes, I have looked at Joe in the past and he’s a very good player. He’s been in the same Welsh Under-20s side as Daf [Jenkins] so we’ve seen him and others in action - and because he’s coming off contract he does fit that bracket of a young, quality player that we like to sign.

“At the same time, I’ve never put a contract offer on the table for him and it’s all speculation as far as I’m concerned.”

The Chiefs DoR did, however, indicate that he is in the market for new additions for next season and beyond and that news of any incomings would be forthcoming in the future.