Hanks and White commit to future at the Chiefs

Head coach Rob Baxter has spoken of his delight after another two of his current Exeter Chiefs squad this week committed their futures to the Devon club.

James Hanks and Ben White have followed the earlier lead of club-mates Chris Whitehead, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Will Chudley, Phil Dollman and Carl Rimmer in agreeing new deals that will keep them at Sandy Park for a further two years.

Hanks, who has to date made 176 appearances for the club, is one of the club’s longest-serving players having first made his debut for the Chiefs back in 2005 against the Cornish Pirates.

White, on the other hand, is still somewhat of a relative newcomer having signed during the summer of 2011 from Cardiff Blues. He has so far appeared 31 times for the Chiefs, although his current campaign has been hampered by a knee injury sustained in the home win over Harlequins.

Both men, however, are seen as key figures in Exeter’s future and Baxter has wasted little time in tying them down to new contracts.

“It’s fantastic for James to be staying around,” says Baxter.

“My first involvement with him was when he turned up at Exeter University when I was head a coach. We put him straight in the first team and he hasn’t looked back since as far as he career in Exeter goes."

On White Baxter added: “He’s a tough cookie and a different character, the other players will tell you that, but different characters are good within a club.

For more information visit http://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/duo-commit-to-the-chiefs/