Exeter Chiefs add two new signings to tight five

Exeter Chiefs have announced the signings of Western Force second-row Ryan McCauley and Bayonne prop Sam Nixon ahead of the new Premiership season.

As revealed by The Rugby Paper last week, lock McCauley had become the subject of interest from Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter who tracked the 6’8 forward’s progression through the NRC to Super Rugby in Australia.

Baxter sought the opinion of former Chiefs prop Greg Holmes on the new recruit, with whom he played with at the Western Force.

“I’m really looking forward to ripping in,” McCauley, 24, said. “I’ve just watched the boys train and now I’m excited to get amongst it all and get involved with training and then the games.

“It’ll be my first experience of rugby over in these parts, but I’ve watched games of the Chiefs and I know it’s a very good and high standard over here.

“As I said, I’m looking forward to learning from the other tight forwards here because there is a great calibre of players here. Also, I just can’t wait to add to my skill-set around lineout, maul and scrum, especially as it used a lot more over here.”

Meanwhile, 24-year-old Nixon returns to the Premiership after a season in France, where he featured prominently for Bayonne in the Top 14.

Prior to that, the tighthead was of Bath‘s squad, where he ran out for them in the Premiership, Champions Cup, as well as the Premiership Rugby Cup.

The new duo take the total number of signings made by Exeter this summer to four, with the arrivals of prop Josh Iosefa-Scott and centre Sean O’Brien confirmed in May and June.