Lewis Pearson Commits to New Contract with Chiefs

Exeter Chiefs second and back row Lewis Pearson has committed his future to the club, signing a contract extension to 2026.

The hard-working forward seals his future in the South-West having enjoyed a stellar season so far.

Pearson, who has been involved in 20 games for Chiefs in all competitions this season, is excited to continue thriving in the Exeter environment.

“I’ve come through the ranks at Exeter Chiefs which gives that added extra feeling to this news. There’s a lot of history at this club and I get a real joy out of what we do here, so why wouldn’t I want to continue being a part of all that?

“I think we’ve taken everyone by surprise this season, including ourselves, that at the halfway stage we’re looking good. Chiefs teams in the past have won titles playing their best, so how well we’ve been playing this season has been a bit of an eye opener that there is a chance we could look to replicate their success.

“Staying at Sandy Park, my main focus is to continue pushing as hard as I can to secure my spot in this team.”

Pearson took a varied path to becoming a Chiefs first-team regular. Originally a swimmer, he followed his elder brothers into rugby at age 15. Progressing through the ranks at Exeter College – whom he claimed the ACE League title with – he then honed his craft with Plymouth Albion and Cornish Pirates before having his name printed on a Chiefs shirt.

Debuting against Harlequins in a Premiership Rugby Cup match at Sandy Park in November 2018, the Leeds-born boy was patient for regular opportunities to come his way and he has grasped them with both hands this season.

Director of Rugby Rob Baxter is looking forward to seeing how much further the 24-year-old can progress his game having stepped into a responsibility role in the first team this season.

“It’s great news to have Lewis Pearson re-signing. He’s slowly, over a period of time, come through our Academy and having spent his time at loan clubs, he’s developed into a very good Premiership player. And I still think there’s a good amount of development and improvement that can happen over time and with experience.

“We’re delighted to see him doing so well as it’s always nice to see someone who has worked so hard to come through the system, who has taken their time at other clubs and taken that time to develop then gets an opportunity and grabs it with two hands.

“He’s been a very important part of how well we’ve done so far this season. He’s taken responsibility for a lot of key areas of the game, such as the lineout where he’s become one of our main callers.

“I can only see him going from strength to strength. He’s a really good guy, and he’s someone who is going to keep growing and be part of our future going forward.”

Pearson joins Harvey Skinner as the first names to be announced as recommitting their future to Chiefs, with more names anticipated to join them in the coming weeks.