Stu Townsend Commits to Chiefs

Exeter Chiefs scrum half Stu Townsend has committed his future to the club by signing a new contract.

A part of the Chiefs furniture since the 2016/17 season, the jovial scrum half has since appeared in an Exeter shirt on 106 occasions, scoring 19 tries along the way.

Looking to help to bring a little experience and guidance to a young half-back group, Townsend is ready to crack on as a Chief.

“To have re-signed with Exeter Chiefs is really exciting. The club has been my home for my entire career, so it’s incredibly special to have the opportunity to make even more memories in the Chiefs shirt.

“I’m really excited to head into another season with this squad of players as it feels like a strong group that has some exciting times ahead.”

The 28-year-old was first introduced to rugby as a six-year-old at his local club Kingsbridge. Merging into the Chiefs academy system as he got older, under the tutelage of coaches like Ricky Pellow, Townsend was spotted as an emerging talent.

Capped by his country at three different age-grade levels, the next course of action was to cut his teeth in the National leagues with Taunton Titans and the Championship with Cornish Pirates.

Townsend’s chance came during the 2016/17 season when first team scrum halves Dave Lewis and Will Chudley were both struck by injury. Scoring a try on his first start as a Chief, the youngster put his all into leading Chiefs from the half back berth and would ultimately end the season as a Premiership champion having started at the Twickenham final.

In the years that followed, Townsend has been a consistent performer for Chiefs, adding another Premiership title and a Champions Cup title to his CV.

And so, Director of Rugby Rob Baxter is pleased to have retained the wealth of experience amongst his group of scrum halves.

“Stu is one of what you’d call our ‘senior guys’. A guy whose been here in the time when we’ve won Premierships and we’ve trophies. He’s not only been a really good guy on the pitch and a tone-setter for us but also off the pitch, around the club, he’s one of the guys who really understands what we’re about.

“He’s a really important player to have staying at Sandy Park, to keep the ethos of what the club is about and the culture that we have within the club. I’m sure that he’ll be an important person to have around the group of young nines who also look like they’re thriving.”

Townsend joins fellow experienced Chief Marcus Street in recommitting to the club this week.