Harvey Skinner hungry for success at Exeter Chiefs

The Exeter Chiefs fly half sits down with The Rugby Paper’s Benjamin Redwood.

Harvey Skinner is the next on a long line of West Country natives looking to become a mainstay in the Exeter Chiefs team.

The versatile 23-year-old fly half has had a taste of top flight rugby. Now, he is hungry for more opportunities and future success at Sandy Park.

Skinner said: “Being my local club and coming through the academy – I want to battle for the Exeter shirt.”

The Journey

Skinner was born and bred in Taunton – a rarity where rugby and cricket dominate the sporting sphere.

The Castle School is a state school in the heart of the town where sport and physical education was very important.

Rugby was his passion and love, it was clear to see from an early age. However, his athleticism helped him in other sports. Skinner was a useful batsman in cricket and a strong footballer. He represented the school in anything he could.

On his schooldays, he said: “We had a good year. The school may not have had a year group like us since we were there!”.

North Petherton RFC in Somerset, is where Skinner first fell in love with the game at age group level.

Yet, his passion went unrewarded at academy level until he attended Bicton College (near Exeter) for sixth form. Whilst peers were making their way at academies and national level, Skinner was regularly at local Taunton parks working on his kicking. When a chance came, he wanted to take it.

Despite not getting exposed to academy or national rugby early, Harvey said: “That benefitted me massively. For me, I wasn’t getting much of a look in anywhere. But I had to work for everything. I could not just rely on taking it easy. I had to work hard.

“Even now, I have to go the extra mile in everything I do – recovery, what I eat, gym. To work that little bit extra, it has paid dividends.

“If you put the hard yards in, you’ll get the rewards after. I’m a huge believer in that. There’s boys I played school and college rugby college who I thought ‘corr these boys are on fire’ and all of a sudden they drop off and aren’t in the game anymore.”

However, he exclaims: “I am still not satisfied. I want to kick on.”

Moving away from home at 16 to go to Bicton College was a brave move for Skinner, but one that was soon rewarded.

“In my first year. Rob Gibson (Bicton College coach) played me straight away at full back. Normally a first year is a bench player with minimal game time. Luckily, I went straight in at 15.

“One Friday, Exeter were short of numbers at training, so Rob asked me to go in – I was buzzing. Afterwards I just wanted more of it. The players, facilities, I wanted more.

“Every Friday the club kept inviting me back and came to watch my games. In my second year, it kicked off at Exeter. They offered me an Academy contract.

The ladder to Premiership success

Much of Exeter’s success has centred around a crop of home-grown talent that have grown with the club. A golden generation of westcountryman like Henry Slade, Jack Nowell and Luke Cowan-Dickie have progressed through Exeter’s regional set up to the international stage.

Many of these players have had spells at local clubs lower down the pyramid such as Cornish Pirates, Plymouth Albion and Taunton Titans. This allows them to be a part of the Exeter group whilst gaining invaluable minutes in the adult game on a weekend.

“I went on loan to Taunton. Growing up in Taunton and playing first team rugby there was a great experience for me.

“Exeter then progressed me up to Plymouth Albion and then up another level to Cornish Pirates. At Plymouth I played at inside centre and fly half. It made me appreciate how a twelve works. It has helped me so much. By playing at 12, I saw how a centre wants to be communicated with – which helped me massively at 10.

“You see and appreciate the ladder. I see younger lads plying their trade at other clubs on loan and you see how it all works. I just wanted to play for Exeter. But going on loan has helped me so much.

After earning his stripes at the differing levels of English rugby, Skinner became a mainstay in the matchday squads in the 2019/20 season.

Skinner made his Gallagher Premiership debut in an impressive away win over Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate. He scored his first try in March 2021 against Leicester Tigers.

“Coming into Exeter was great, I was learning off of people like Gareth Steenson which helped my game. Once I got a sniff of it, I just wanted more,” he said.

His 1st @ExeterChiefs @PremRugby try 😍

Harvey Skinner finishes off a swift @ExeterChiefs break to score his first ever @PremRugby try 🤟

Watch full highlights here – https://t.co/JBadjHLWCZ pic.twitter.com/gki2I3o5aN

— Exeter Chiefs (@ExeterChiefs) March 21, 2021

What’s it like to play with top level internationals as a young player?

“At first I had to pinch myself playing with internationals. At ten though, I have to captain the ship and tell those international players like Henry Slade and Jack Nowell what to do. At first, I was like ‘they won’t listen to me!’

“They know what I need to do and help me massively. They prefer being directed by me rather than a quiet guy at ten who is scared to speak.”

In response to a question on his toughest opponent, Skinner quickly responses with: “Charles Piutau the Bristol full back. He’s world class. You’re lucky if you read what he does. Piutau comes straight to my mind.”

“The player I have played with that surprises me all the time is Dave Ewers. He’s a beast and does so much work for the team. He should be more of an international player for England.”

When asked about his own ambitions, Skinner said: “I want to play international rugby for England. But first, I want to be first choice number ten at Exeter.”

2021/22 season

It’s been a strange year for Exeter. Two defeats to Leicester Tigers and defending champions Harlequins were not the start to the season the club wanted.

Surprising home defeats to London Irish and Newcastle Falcons at the usual fortress Sandy Park leave Exeter in fifth place of the Premiership going into the European rugby break.

“Results weren’t going our way at the start of the season. Losses to Leicester and Northampton at home weren’t good. We picked up winning again away from home. But, we lost some poor home games and struggled for consistency. Losing at home to Newcastle and (London) Irish weren’t good.

Two tough victories over Bath Rugby and Saracens heading into the European break have helped Exeter’s confidence.

He said: “Beating Bath and beating Sarries – a team who you think will challenge was huge. It will build confidence going into Europe.”

Looking ahead to Europe

Going into Europe, Exeter are looking to reclaim their Champions Cup crown.

“In Europe, we need to keep the same mentality as we did against Saracens last weekend. Against the French teams, they’ll dominate you if you aren’t on it. You want to keep that performance at the same level as it was against Saracens.”

“We’re taking every game as it comes. We aren’t thinking ‘we need to win Europe or the Prem’. What you can control is week by week performances. That’s the attitude we need to have. If you think ahead, your performances can peak and trough. All our focus is on beating Montpellier.”

Finally, Skinner admitted his aim is to be Exeter’s first choice fly half. Gareth Steenson’s retirement into the coaching staff has bumped Skinner up the pecking order.

However, the ever-consistent Joe Simmonds is Exeter’s first choice, leaving Harvey to sit patiently on Rob Baxter’s bench.

42 appearances in, Skinner is relishing the competition.

“The competition is making me better as a player,” he said. It’s evident the impact that Simmonds and now coach Gareth Steenson have had on his career.

He finished: “I’ve had a sniff of it (first team rugby) which was great. But I want more of it. I have kicked on from last year and want to build on that so that I can get a consistency in my performances that can help the team win and so I can be selected. It’s all about getting that opportunity and taking it.”

Two things:

1️⃣ Rob Baxter, calm as you like as Lewis Ludlow drives towards the try-line.
2️⃣ Harvey Skinner's tackle and Olly Woodburn's interception.

Brilliant! 😅#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/vUCnirTJYR

— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) March 26, 2021