One-year extension for Tom Johnson

Tom Johnson has today put pen to paper to sign a one-year contract extension with the Exeter Chiefs.
With 153 appearances and 30 tries to his name, the 30-year-old England back-row has quickly established himself as one of the club’s key performers since his arrival in 2007 from Coventry to make his way into the England set-up last Summer.
He earned his first Test cap on the tour of South Africa in June starting at blindside in all three Tests against the Springboks.
Johnson was on his way to make his first appearance in the Six Nations but a knee injury has kept him on the sidelines since Exeter’s Heineken Cup encounter against Leinster last month.
Already on the road to recovery, Johnson is now looking to the future and continuing to play his part in the rise of the Chiefs.
“I’m very happy and it’s nice to still be at the club,” he said. “Not only the club has got big plans off the pitch but on the pitch too and it’s exciting for all of us as players.
“All around you can see we are building things for the future and it will be nice to be part of all of that.”
“Exeter has helped to get into the England set-up so I didn’t really want to go to another club and almost start from fresh again.
“I’ve got about five or six weeks left before I’m back on the pitch. Jamie Fulton [our physio] is pushing me hard but we’re not trying to do too much too quickly.”
Head Coach Rob Baxter is delighted about Johnson’s decision to stay.
“As a club we’re delighted that TJ has extended his contract with us for another year,” he said.
“TJ’s played a key part in our move out of the Championship and then establishing ourselves in the Premiership. Not only have we seen him grow as a player, but off the field he is a great ambassador for the club as well.”
Earlier this week, the Devon club also announced that England U20 coach Rob Hunter was to join the Chiefs coaching set-up next season as assistant forward coach.
“It’s a massive honour for me to get this opportunity, especially at a club like Exeter” said Hunter. “They have had a great surge into the Premiership and established themselves amongst the best teams in the country. They have a great group of lads, several of whom I know well from working within the England Under-20s set-up.
“I have had a fantastic time with England working with some exceptional players and staff over the years, but now I want to test myself within the Premiership. Having that week in, week out challenge of working with a top quality group of lads against some of the best players and coaches in the world is an opportunity too good to miss.”