Fly-half Ignacio Mieres to depart Exeter Chiefs

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter has today confirmed that fly-half Ignacio Mieres is to leave the Aviva Premiership club at the end of the season and join rivals Worcester Warriors.

The Argentine international joined the Chiefs from Deportiva Francesa in October 2010 and has since gone on to make 51 appearances for the Devon club amassing 395 points in the process.

The battle, however, for the Exeter No.10 jersey has been intense ever since Mieres arrived at Sandy Park and having been given the nod for much of last season's campaign, the 25-year-old back has found opportunities somewhat limited this term as Irishman Gareth Steenson leap-frogged him in the pecking order.

Although he is contracted to the Chiefs for another year, Baxter says Mieres is keen to develop his international career further and believes for that to happen he needs to be playing regularly within the English top flight.

"Nacho is wanting to play more rugby, get more starts, and right now he is feeling that will happen more often at another club," explained Baxter. "What we have at the moment is a guy who is very passionate about playing - and he is desperate to play more for Argentina. I think because of those factors, he feels he now wants to go somewhere where he is going to start regularly and put himself in the shop window to get the best opportunity to play international rugby.

"It is a shame, of course, because we never like signing anyone here and them not seeing out their contracts. We tend to feel when you have a player for two or three years, that he will be an Exeter player for two or three years. However, it can't always be like that. As a club we're not going to be awkward and stand in his way, especially with the fact he feels he would like to go somewhere else.

"Obviously there were opportunities for him to play in the future, but I guess it's one of those things. As I've said before, we go with guys who are on form at the time. Steeno had to take the tough medicine last year and Nacho's had to take it a bit this year, but when it adds up that a player decides to move on, sometimes the best thing to do is say thanks for all you have done and help facilitate any move they may want."

With Mieres set to depart and fellow fly-half Myles Dorrian also out of contract at the end of the season, Baxter says he will assess his play-making options before making his next move.

He added: "We may go into the market, but I wouldn't say we are in a huge rush. We've got Gareth Steenson and Henry Slade both under contract for next season, but we'll take our time and assess things and decide our next move as and when is necessary."

For more information or to book tickets to the next Chiefs match visit www.exeterchiefs.co.uk

Photo: Courtesy of Exeter Chiefs / Pinnacle Photo Agency