Exeter add two for next season

Exeter have strengthened their squad for next season with the double signing of Toby Salmon from Rotherham and Tom O’Flaherty from the Ospreys, both on two-year contracts.
Salmon, a 23-year-old lock, has been playing in the Championship for the Titans and also has Anglo-Welsh Cup experience for London Irish in the past.
Winger O’Flaherty is English and is playing in Wales while he completes his university studies. He has been dual registered with the Ospreys and Bridgend and has scored 20 tries in 30 appearances for Bridgend over two spells at the club.
Exeter Director of Rugby Rob Baxter said: “As people have seen before, we have always been happy to look at the Championship, particularly in the front-five forward area.  We know the qualities we are looking for in Championship players and we have quite a good record of bringing guys through who show their qualities in the Premiership.
“In regards Toby, we have had a good look around and having closely analysed his game, we saw a lot of the qualities we like and think will make him thrive in the Premiership.
“We aren’t necessarily going to advertise what they are, but he has skills which we feel will transfer to the Premiership quite well.  The player himself has shown a bit of self-awareness in areas to improve, so he is someone we can work with.
“The player himself has shown a bit of self-awareness himself in areas to improve so he is someone we can work with. I think he’ll work very hard.
“It is always nice to bring people in from the Championship to fight for their place in the team and the squad and that is a very important quality for him to have. At his age, he’ll develop going forward. He has the base qualities that we look for but I can see him really thriving in the next few years.”
As for O’Flaherty, Baxter added: “Tom is a player who, although he is coming from the Ospreys, is an English lad at university in Wales. We had an opportunity to see him playing for his club, Bridgend, and also for the Ospreys when they have changed up their side a bit.
“He just looks like a guy with bags and bags of potential. He isn’t the biggest guy in the world, but he is elusive and genuinely looks like a real competitor. I think he is someone who potentially could be quite exciting in the Premiership.
“We are excited about bringing young guys in to fight for things. It gives the squad a nice feel when you already have established guys and young guys who really want to fight through for themselves. We have seen that in the past and hopefully we’ll see that in the future.”