Rob Baxter (right) welcomes new signing Greg Bateman Photo: Courtesy of Exeter Rugby Club / Pinnacle Photo Agency

Bateman signs for the Chiefs

Exeter Chiefs have bolstered their options ahead of the new 2013/14 season with the acquisition of Greg Bateman from Championship side London Welsh.

The talented hooker, who celebrates his 24th birthday today, has agreed a two-year deal with the Devon club after spending the past two seasons with the Exiles following previous stints with Dorking, Rosslyn Park (loan) and the Harlequins Academy.

Bateman is Exeter’s fifth new signing following the earlier captures of Fetu’u Vainikolo (Connacht), Dave Lewis (Gloucester), Tom James and Ceri Sweeney (Cardiff Blues).
And Bateman’s move to the Westcountry has been welcomed by Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter, who has been keep to bolster his options for the No.2 jersey following the retirement of Simon Alcott and Neil Clark’s departure to French side Oyonnax.

“When we look at bringing in fresh players we look to bring in players that complement each other or add something different,” said Baxter, who could also utilise Bateman as a prop if necessary.

“With Greg having a relatively recently conversion from tight-head prop – he’s Premiership level in that position – what we see is a bigger guy with a big scrummaging background, but his biggest strength is his ball carrying.

“He’s also got things to work on, he’s aware of that, probably based around the movement patterns around the pitch we’d expect of him as a hooker and the extended work-rate we’d expect in comparison to a tight-head prop.

“We’re looking at the positives of what he can add first and foremost and he’s a guy who was bang on form at the end of a tough season for London Welsh. I think he’ll fit in very well here. He started work yesterday and, like everyone else, he starts with a clean sheet, will get stuck in and we’ll see what happens for him.”

As was the case last term, the battle for a place within the Exeter front-row promises to be intense and Baxter wants all his players firing on all cylinders from the outset.

“We’ve signed him primarily as a hooker. That’s the role he wants to develop and the position we want to fill,” said the Exeter leader. “People are aware we lost Simon Alcott to a neck injury and Neil Clark has left, so even with Luke Cowan-Dickie starting to come through it does leave us a little light at hooker.

“With Greg coming in we’re now back to where we were last year with four, plus Tom Cowan-Dickie on dual registration at Plymouth. That’s where we want to be.”

Last season Baxter drafted in fellow hooker Jack Yeandle into the club in a similar role to Bateman and the former Doncaster Knights player quickly showed that hard work, commitment and good form would be rewarded.

“It’s fantastic how Jack’s come through and everyone is aware over the last couple of years how well Chris Whitehead’s played,” said Baxter. “Luke Cowan-Dickie is starting to come through, Tom Cowan-Dickie is starting to get some more regular game time at Championship level and with Greg coming in now we give ourselves the strength in depth I think we need in that position.

“It doesn’t take a lot of looking back just into last season to see what can happen. Jack came to the club from Doncaster, his first rugby involvement was on loan at Pirates and by the end of the year he’d started the last six or seven Premiership games.”

As for Bateman himself, he is looking forward to getting stuck into life at Sandy Park. He said: “I think it’s going to be good to get amongst a group of guys that are always looking to achieve something new and better themselves every season. The set-up here is fantastic and everyone who I have met so far seems great.

“It’s a great move for me and I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t think we weren’t going to go anywhere. That was one of the pre-cursors that myself and my agent looked at. I want to be somewhere that it’s going to be competitive and somewhere that I am going to be involved in a good level of rugby.

“Having played against Exeter in the past I know they are a formidable unit and that they have a lot of strengths within. Personally I hope I can come and fit in and that I can shine and add what I can.”